


For When You Become a Father

by tea_of_momo



Category: Naruto
Genre: Consensual Sex, F/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-03-06 16:56:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 29,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18855199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_of_momo/pseuds/tea_of_momo
Summary: After being married for nearly a year, Tenten believes that she has everything she could ever want with her new life with Neji. But after several weeks on confliction, she has finally realized that what she wants is becoming a growing desire that is becoming unbearable. What she craves so desperately is a life created by just him and her alone, a bundle of love that was their baby.





	1. Chapter 1

She spent the silence outside again.

Where time stood still.

Where life was quieter than a whisper.

And where she could be in her thoughts.

It was the beginning of Spring and while the air still reflected the gentle shock of Winter’s breath, the sun gave off its warmth, making the atmosphere pleasant and soft.

That was during the day.

At night, it was a touch colder but tolerable if she wrapped her long, cotton robe around her tightly, tying the ribbon into a hastily made knot before stepping outside.

She had felt the breath before touching the sliding door, fabricated with clean paper as the articulate square design drew lines and touched corners, the mahogany frame holding every part of the door together to prevent unnecessary shaking from the outside elements.

But it still shook despite its sturdiness.

Her feet- often bare out of habit- padded against the oak of the wooden floor, thumping lightly as she moved like a shadow across the darkening pale of the walls and passed the spread futon that she had spent five minutes laying in, the cream of the comforter concealing her fetal position as she had curled up, growing tired of forcing herself to sleep before rising to grab her robe.

Their bedroom was of blissful size, with enough space for more than a generous crowd of people to mingle in. It’s thick walls concealed their voices and insulated their privacy, a blessing she wasn’t sure they would have gotten in their current familial situation but were granted at an honorable request.

Though their bedroom was of fitting size, it was just one of several rooms within the small, enclosed section just beside the main house, hidden behind the roofs that shielded the courtyard in the center. It was, in a sense, a miniature version of the large compound that owned it, with traditional architecture and design, its occupancy none for years.

While the dwelling was considered to be separated from the main estate, a constructed wooden bridge connected it with the larger, giving easy access to visitors or travelers that may stroll across it, particularly if it involved family matters.

The same bridge occupied the perimeter of the home, providing a porch just behind, closed off from the outside to guard the dainty garden that was just beginning to come alive again, the pond finally free of its prison beneath the frost.

Rocks and pebbles littered the garden, with the fence of standing maple protecting the area from the horizon but just enough so that the stars could still be seen glimmering in the ash-ridden sky.

The small home was equipped with the necessities: a kitchen, a delicate dining area for four people, a living area with a center table made of the same wood with scrolls resting in a small cabinet near the decorated shrine of a man she never got to meet, and a bathing room that was closed off from the rest of the world, a tub made of ceramic marble nestled into the wall with several benches and washrag buckets nearby, waiting for a vulnerable figure to use them.

It was, indeed, a wonderful home.

It was a life she never thought she deserved, a life she was too afraid to dream about or ask for.

It was the life she still couldn’t believe was real at times.

But it was during times like these, when the silence became her only source of comfort, that she realized that it was the life she had wanted for so long.

Because she was waiting for his return.

It was a new and different sensation, one that she had little experience with as she now sat outside, the door slid shut behind her as her legs and feet dangled over the edge of the porch.

Though it was new, there was something else about it that made her feel a little twinge of excitement as she pictured his face, exhausted, and yet so regal looking as he strode back into the compound, back towards their little home, and back into their routine.

Her palms rested slightly behind her, steadying her as she leaned back, the darkening heather of her eyes shining like the stars reflected in them. The deep earth strands, free from being tied up, wavered in the breeze whenever it came, tickling her cheeks and cooling her relaxed scalp.

She was impatient at times, growing timid in awaiting his return after losing him once before, during a time when life was absorbed into sacrificed and nothing else mattered by destroying the threats to the innocent. It was a memory she wouldn’t mind forgetting.

Not at all.

It had already been two weeks since he had left and a week since she had returned from her assignment. No one was waiting for her when she strode back to their secluded home, however, it didn’t matter.

She was used to it.

It was becoming more difficult to sleep at night, alone underneath the fluffy coverings of the futon where human warmth was heavily lacked. For the longest time, for most of her life thus far (she was only twenty-one), she had slept alone, content and aware that she was isolated from the world that lay awake and the other people who dreamed of heavens and of nightmarish futures. It never bothered her because, if anything, she was perfectly fine with it.

Until she married.

Until she experienced what it felt like to share a bed.

And until she felt the warmth of another human being next to her, one that she more than tolerated.

Someone that she loved.

Now it was much more difficult to listen to the crickets and their duets outside, hidden in the blades of greenery, as the chirping echoed throughout the darkness. It was harder to withstand the rain that pattered against the roof and the paper sculpted door that had been slid shut and promptly locked, and the wind that sometimes blew so hard that she feared the walls would break apart and trap her inside as she lay beneath the piles of furnished and domesticated wood.

It was colder outside than it was wrapped up in the covers alone, but for some reason, she was drawn into the reality of the night, where she saw what was awake while others were asleep. She enjoyed the company of the whispers that hummed passed her ears and the way that gravity pulled her feet and legs over the edge, letting them dangle as she watched the stars wave their greeting. She heard her thoughts clearer and found her feelings to be hidden among the wakefulness of the night, reminding her that solutions come whenever the sun arrives the next day.

As she continued to sit, she felt herself part her lips to release a yawn, letting it run with the atmosphere before she let her mouth closed, her gaze becoming softer, almost fatigued at the realization that she was outside in the darkness, where sleep was becoming a challenge to fight.

She was used to many things and sleeping outside underneath the watchfulness of the heavens was no stranger.

Still, she knew that going back inside was better than sleeping on the hardness of the porch and yet, she didn’t feel the urgency to return back to that safe haven.

No, not yet.

Just for a bit longer.

She sat forward, using her fingers to gently clasp the fabric of her robe around her chest, pulling it tighter as she pulled her legs up, resting the soles of her feet on the surface of the porch so that her bottom half was positioned in the shape of an upright pyramid.

Her palms found their way back to the wood, steadying herself as she turned, laying down on her side before repositioning her hands to form a pillow made of flesh and bone beneath her skull, her hair gently laying beneath her and across the surface, standing out from the lighter shade of almond that the wood was delicately made from.

She had a thought.

It was a thought she had been trying to understand for a while.

A thought… just a thought.

No, it was something more than “just a thought”.

It was more of a desire, a want that she felt as though she needed instead.

And it was growing more and more with each passing day.

It was because of such a desire that she was growing impatient in awaiting his return even though she feared the words she would have to form to get him to understand what she has been thinking of for so long now. And what’s more, is her fear of his reaction to her consideration.

Still, there was nothing to be done now.

He was not home yet.

She was still waiting for him.

Her eyelids felt heavier than when she had been sitting up and as another breeze ruffled through her hair, the urge to fight the slumber ceased as she allowed her eyes to see utter darkness and her breaths to become deeper and slower.

And with that thought, that desire, still fresh in her lethargic mind, she allowed herself the rest she so desperately needed, letting herself to once again join the unconscious wake of the others in the deep sleep that was the night.

………………………………………………………………………..

It was late.

And it was becoming colder.

He had felt it upon entering the courtyard of the compound, shivering unnoticeably through his jade vest as his hair, darker than the sky itself and a length that was rather long but tied towards the bottom, felt the breeze whistle by its strands playfully.

It seemed to him that this was the coldest of the Spring nights, a diminishing recollection of the world’s reluctance in moving forward from the chill of Winter. Even so, as complacent and fatigued as he felt, he was relieved.

His duty was over.

His steps, despite the terrain, were always so soft, almost as if he were walking on air, his lavender engulfed irises looking forward without a hint of emotion or thought.

He had been raised to appear that way, his emotions gone and hidden from others nosey views as he kept his serious demeanor on auto, avoiding anyone who he felt had looked a little too deep in him. This carefulness in emotion was one he hadn’t always had because, at one time, he too was a child that didn’t understand the world’s reality.

It was a lesson forced upon him.

However, there was one person that could see past his veil, his dark clouds of neutral that hovered over his head and in front of his face, hiding what was on the inside.

Just one person.

And he was on his way to see them.

There was no indication to show how late it really was, as the guards that heeded the gate to the village seemed awake enough to at least perform their duties.

As soon as he had entered, along with his three assigned comrades (one of which was too excited, especially at this hour), he bid them a farewell, with the excited member trailing after him, challenging him to a fight the very next morning as if it was not already in the early periods of the next day. But he had learned to wave him off as kindly as he could, never ceasing his aching steps as he headed back to his home.

Their home.

He was fortunate that the compound his family resided in, as big as it was, blending in with the area it rested in, close to the entrance and exit of the village, just up a stone path that led to the starch of the dirt that covered the courtyard, hidden behind the large and heavy gate. It had never been considered home to him, but rather, it was a prison he was born into accepting as his family.

Despite all the conflict, all the hatred, and the resentment he felt towards his own clan, he had become a man who understood the reality behind it all, including his father’s chosen death.

It was, undeniably, a reality he needed to accept.

Just as the reality where he thought he would never breathe again because there was no need for air in the afterlife.

It had happened suddenly, almost instinctively, as he met his short-lived ending protecting his cousin and the man she had been in love with for what felt like a lifetime.

But he didn’t die, not entirely.

He had seen his father looking at him, remembering his son and embracing him, saying words of encouragement and wisdom before he opened his eyes and began to choke on his soul that was returning back into his damaged body.

Sometimes when he thought of the pain, the stabbing of the wood through his torso, the scars on his muscled chest and abdomen ached, especially the one that lay just over his beating heart.

It was a memory that was painful to recall but worth remembering all the same.

He continued walking, as silent as a mute piano key, before reaching the small hill, climbing up it with ease as his shoes met with the path made of stones leading towards the gate before him.

The dirt muffled underneath him as he approached, and he heard the shuffling of the hidden guard as he was met with the same pearling lavender eyes. The two nodded at one another and the guard once again disappeared into hiding, making himself invisible as he pressed against the side column of the door.

He continued by, pressing his palm against the wood, opening it just wide enough for him to slip through and softly shut behind.

The courtyard was empty, as to be expected. Everyone was already asleep and without wanting to wake any of his family members, he strode across the dirt, passing the single oak that lay rooted in the middle of the large area. He soon found the steps and climbed them, the wood of the porch creaking beneath him as he continued along its path, maneuvering to his place of solitude.

He made his way past two separated walls of the compound, traveling by as he found the narrow and private path of the home that was closed off from the rest but still in confinement.

Another brush of air slid past his cheek and he shivered lightly.

The cream of the walls came into view as he came closer to his dwelling, the lights off as far as he could tell on the inside.

She was probably already asleep in their bed.

He continued his approach, the wind becoming a louder call as it danced past him, before turning the corner and opening the front door on the opposite side of their bedroom.

It slid with ease.

It wasn’t necessary to lock it.

They were safe.

It was made of the same parchment and engraved in a simple yet elegant design. He entered and slid the door closed behind his figure, the wind beginning to protest against the entrance, stretching the material inward slightly before settling once more.

Though the home was small, there is a stocky hallway with a few steps that would elevate a visitor slightly onto the floor of the living quarters, a room with nothing more than a few bits and pieces of furniture.

It was dark, not even a candle was lit but the given shine from the depth of the moon sprawled across, spreading some of its lighted limbs so that obstacles could be avoided.

But it wasn’t like he needed light to see anything.

His family gift of the byakugon already allowed him to see far off and while it was more than capable of using it at this time, he was lethargic from the assignment he had just completed and he knew that if he used his visual powers, he might have to crawl the rest of the way to their bedroom.

Still, it was a precious gift he didn’t like to waste on tedious events.

He stopped before the steps, turning to face the door as he took a seat on the ground, unlatching his sandals and freeing his feet before organizing his shoes to the side, the same side where her’s rested unused.

His legs propelled him back upwards and he took leave of the entryway, walking into the living area and into a dense hallway. The bathroom was just a few paces down from their bedroom and while he wanted nothing more than to clean himself up after dealing with the harsh realities that were the outside world, he wanted to see her sleeping figure.

He wanted to know that she was safe.

His eyes shifted slowly, careful to avoid making any noise that might wake her.

He was fortunate that she was a deep sleeper most of the time.

The hallway was just adjacent to that of the entryway, with a dead-end on the right side while the left led on, sporting several rooms before ending just after the door of their bedroom, the walls boarded with a humble piece of furnished maple. In the center of the hallway, in front of only a wall, was a table, its legs made from the same material as the base of wood, the design plain and simple. He hadn’t known why she had wanted to put furniture in such an odd place, especially in the middle of such a narrow hallway, but she had insisted and now he could see that a small vase, a virgin white in comparison to the walls, sat atop as it held long violet and champagne orchids.

They were beautiful and colored so elegantly that it made him reach out and stroke one of the petals in between his pointer finger and his thumb, feeling the softness of the texture and inhaling the tenderness of the fragrance.

It was beautiful because it reminded him of her.

And he was becoming impatient.

He took leave of the vase, traveling past the bathroom until he reached the end, turning to face the doorway before taking in a breath and reaching to grab the handle, sliding the door open just a few inches to where he could enter.

As he stood in the stillness of the room, he observed nothing out of the ordinary.

The array of parchment and wooden framed doors on the other side, a small nightstand in the corner of the room, supporting a small woven basket filled with lime, apricot, and cream-colored scrolls tightly wrapped and packed together.

There was a small tapestry hanging on the wall farthest to the left, a plain white with ink swirled lettering.

There were just two characters.

“日向”

That was his last name, the name his family had forced upon him at birth and the name she now shared with him.

It was a name that had always been famous and respected in the eyes of the public, even in those that were far from the village in which the clan had always resided. It was a name that was feared, not because of its reputation of being a highly valued family, but because of the members that occupied its compound.

Everyone born into the family became skilled in fighting, no matter the sex or age and if one was not seen as strong in comparison to others of their status, they were considered to be useless in the presence of their own family, even if they were in a higher position compared to the rest.

That was what happened to his cousin just a year younger than himself.

But now, after the war had ended, things were beginning to change for the better and he was proud to say that he was the primary force behind that change.

He was seen as a hero among the Hyuga and among the villagers.

To her, he was more than that.

He was a husband.

And she loved him more than he thought would ever be possible, just as he loved her with the same kind of wisdom and worth.

If the war hadn’t happened and he hadn’t done what he did, then the two of them would never have been permitted to be together, even if their red string of fate was cutting off their circulation as it wove tightly around their fingers.

He was glad that he had almost died for that very reason.

His eyes soon wandered to the futon that lay on the floor, expecting to see her figure wrapped tightly under the plush covered but instead he saw nothing.

The bed was empty.

He felt his heart beat elevate slightly.

Though no one occupied it, the bed looked as though someone had been in it not too long ago, the sheets and covering rustled and flipped over to the side almost as if in exasperation.

He couldn’t help his quiet panic as he paced around the room, looking for her with desperation and fear that something might’ve happened to her. Perhaps if he hadn’t been as fatigued as he was, he would’ve had a lot calmer demeanor.

She could handle things herself; he knew that as well as anyone else did. However, it was his duty as her husband to make sure she was safe, no matter what.

He crept forward, looking down towards the futon before shifting to the side, leaving it to rest behind him as he approached the door on the end of the wall, the exit that would lead out onto the porch that looked toward the courtyard and garden she seemed to enjoy spending so much time in.

Carefully, almost innocently, he slid the door, holding his breath for a slight second before he saw her, laying down on her side, her back facing him as her breathing was slow and transparent, much like the wind that blew by as he entered back into the outside.

Her hair, long and dark, laid out, covering a small area beneath her head in its curls and tangled nightly strands. Her robe was still wrapped around her but was starting to unravel as the ribbon lay draped over the porch’s edge, exposing a sliver of her lemon shaded pajamas with a pink outline that was designed in an oriental fashion, her shirt exposing a small among of skin as it disconnected gingerly from her shorts.

Though she looked comfortable and at peace within her current environment, he could see her shiver beneath her cloak of slumber, the cold entering into her subconsciousness as her body attempted to warm itself against the harsh outbursts of the breezes that encircled her figure.

He didn’t understand why she was sleeping outside in the first place, nor did he have the energy to scold her for doing such a foolish thing.

Instead, he sighed and mumbled her name under his breath.

“Tenten,”

She shifted and muttered incoherently in response.

He tried again.

No reaction.

He approached her figure cautiously, gazing over her body as it curled up against the planks of the porch, her eyes shut as her lips parted slightly amidst her sleep.

Even when she was asleep, she was the most beautiful thing alive.

But he could never admit that out loud.

She would laugh at him and tease him until the day he died.

Still, he loved her, more than anyone other than members of his family and there were times when wished he could go back and tell his adolescent self that she was the one this entire time.

Fate is as ironic as it is cruel.

Crouching down, he shifted onto his knees, his head hovering over her as his arms crept beneath her legs and supported her back, lifting her softly into his chest as he arose once more, carrying her as her head lay against the firmness of his vest.

He turned, walking back towards the door before he stopped, looking back at the twilight in the night sky, seeing the abundance of stars dance and waver, placing a smile upon his face in knowing that she was being watched over by someone she never got to meet and the most important figure that shaped him into the man that he is today.

His whisper engraved his thanks before he continued forward, being welcomed by the warmth of their home as he stepped back inside, turning and stretching the arm the lay across her back forward so that he could block out the bitterness of the chill by sliding the door shut once more.

She stirred slightly in his arms, before nestling comfortably against him, his eyes softening as he looked at her sleeping face.

He took several steps forward, reaching the side of the futon she most often slept on and found his way back to his knees, easing her body forward so that it settled atop the bedding, retracting his arms back to her shoulders as he slid the robe off her body, pulling it out from beneath her back and setting it beside their bed.

She didn’t wake.

He gathered the covers in his grasp and placed them over her, up to her chin and saw her smile warmly before she sighed happily against the feathery texture of the covers that was beginning to embrace her and heal her from the outside elements.

With a few seconds, he took the time to look at her, gazing at her affectionately before he stood once more, turning back to make sure the door was slid shut and that even the wind couldn’t slam it open again at the appearance of an apparition.

As his judgment was put to rest he started to stroll past the now occupied bed lying out on the floor, careful to not step too close to her unconscious frame but walking just above her head, his steps lighter than the strands of hair that caressed her forehead and curled slightly against her cheeks.

He was about to turn the corner when he heard a voice speak from behind, quiet and still in the bosom of sleep.

“Neji?”

It was calming to him to hear her say his name, even if she wasn’t fully awake.

“Tenten,” he responded softly as he glanced slightly behind him with his head turned, the long and rich properties of his hair swaying against his vest with some falling past his shoulder.

She was still lying down, the covers still pulled up as her own hands held them close. Her eyes, though dazed and unsure of reality thanks to the component of her slumber, shined in the darkness, reflecting the light the moon offered greedily.

“Is it really you? You’re home?” she called out, her voice nothing more than an innocent whisper.

“Yes, I’m home. I am going to get cleaned up before I come to join you.” he responded evenly, watching his tone as to not want to make her assume that he was irritated with her for “wasting his valuable time”.

He hated that she thought that way sometimes.

Indeed, he was never an “easy-to-read” person and while she was rather good at seeing right through him, there were times when she assumed rather than proved, resulting in her keeping a short distance from him until he confronted her about her odd behavior.

It is never his intention to make her feel like she was an annoyance to him.

Because she wasn’t.

There were far more “annoying” individuals out there (in fact, he could think of two in particular) and for her to think that way made him feel inferior to what a noble husband should be in the service of his wife.

He heard her shift slightly, mumbling what sounded like an “okay” before nothing more was said and he was free to continue on with the task of cleaning himself up so that he may have the time he so desperately craved with his wife of almost a year.

It would be a challenge to allow himself to soak with that thought in mind.

………………………………………

She had heard the sound of the dripping green water spreading soundlessly as the small waves parted for the arrival of his feet, then his legs, and then finally, his bare torso, filling the space embodied around him. His sigh traveled from the bathing room to their bed, filling her ears with solid contentment and comfort in knowing that he had finally returned home.

But those feelings of satisfaction were soon replaced by weariness inhibited by her anxiety.

She pushed the thought back, knowing that it wouldn’t do her any good in stressing and rethinking her decision at the given moment when her choice had been made final. Still, she couldn’t help but grow nervous on the idea of actually telling him the thought that hadn’t left her since they married and that hadn’t been instigated by anyone but herself.

It was troubling and yet she fought back with her fatigue, saving the request until a few days after and until he was fully recovered from his assignment.

He then returned a short time later, which was unusual for someone like him who took whatever time necessary for him to soak and heal his muscles.

However, she didn’t feel as bothered as she would’ve if it was not for him coming home and instead closed her eyes and breathed as if she had been sleeping the entire time, as he silently crept back into their room, his back towards her as he removed the towel wrapped around his hips, discarding the fluffy material on the dresser before reaching for his robe and slipping into it, his boxers already on his body after being in hiding beneath the towel.

Though they were married, they were still too shy to see one another naked, even if that meant being in their underwear around each other. Some of their friends commented on their innocence while others simply degraded them for it. It was a habit that she hoped wouldn’t last forever.

Her reddened cheeks and the intense pounding in her chest never ceased whenever she saw his exposed chest.

She had barely heard him as he took his arrival beside her, the feeling of the comforter sliding off her shoulders slightly as he slid in beside her, gently resting his back down as the comforter was now on top of him. He turned towards her and she felt his calming presence as he scooted closer towards her, the warmth radiating from his skin sending a wave of relaxation down her spine.

With the rustling of the sheets, she soon felt his palm against her cheek, resting comfortably against her flesh as he stroked her tenderly before leaning closer to place a quick kiss on her nose.

In response, she snuggled closer to him, pressing herself into his torso, her fingers and hands feeling the smoothness of his robe’s fabric as she eased into his body, feeling him do the same as he wrapped an arm around her.

Neji, her husband, was home.


	2. Chapter 2

_“Is there anything you want?”_

_“Huh?”_

_Another box had been moved off to the side as she squatted down to reach for a much larger one, unfolding the flaps to reveal a countless number of filed and organized scrolls. They were all the same color of tan, velvet, and jade, wrapped tightly and placed against each other snugly in their temporary holding space._

_From behind, she heard him stir as he unfolded another box, his question drying in the air like water in a parched desert valley._

_“Is there anything you want?” he repeated, his patience never faltering._

_Her fingertips gingerly guided over the rolled scrolls, wrapping around the largest one and pulling it out, a smile spreading across her lips as she surveyed the neat texture._

_“Hmm, not really. I mean, I have everything I could want now, with you.”_

_That had been a lie foretold in the future and even she had known it._

_She hadn’t heard him discard his attention to the contents of the box he had chosen to unpack and stand, making his way over to her on the opposite side of the living area. He sat down beside her and as she turned to look at him, she nearly jumped back in surprise when she noticed how close his face was to hers. She stopped as he placed one of his hands on the scroll she was holding, wrapping his palm and fingers around hers until they were intertwined around the rolled parchment. She couldn’t help but stare into the warmth his pearling lavender eyes were radiating into her own earth irises._

_“Tenten,” his voice said softly. “If there is anything you want, anything at all, please tell me. It doesn’t matter how ridiculous or impossible it may seem. I will do whatever I can to get it.”_

_Her face blotched with a blush. If there was anyone who could make her at a loss for words, it was him._

_Quietly, as if a child apologizing timidly to their mother, she mumbled underneath her breath. He cocked his head slightly to the side._

_“What was that?” he asked, the amusement creeping in his voice as a satisfied smile took to his face._

_She started to fidget with her other free hand, the redness darkening her complexion as she tried not to look into those eyes that made her stomach flip and her heart beat faster._

_“T-there is something I want, actually,” she breathed lightly._

_“What is it?”_

_Her eyes narrowed, filled with nothing but the absolute love and devotion she had for him as she once again met his eyes with her own._

_“Kiss me.”_

_And instead of answering her with his words, he used his body instead, bringing himself closer to her, releasing his grasp on the scroll the same as she did, letting the rolled paper land on the floor as he cupped her face with his palms, stroking her burning skin._

_He leaned towards her, slowly at first, before his lips met hers, the hands that lay at her side coming up to cradle his own that were resting against her flesh._

_...................................................................................................._

_“Is there anything you want?”_

The memory approached her once again as she sat at the table of their small kitchen, her hands folded over each other as she leaned against the surface, a million thoughts flooding back into her head as she stared off into space.

 

It had been five days since he had returned home and five days of her putting off what she wanted to say to him. No matter how many times she had rehearsed the same phrases, tweaking some to make it sound more like her and no matter how often she practiced by pacing back and forth speaking only to herself, the awareness was dragging her back down to uncertainty.

 

She had been thinking a lot about this, too often actually, according to her friends and upon asking for their advice she was actually hiding her desire to seek out comfort. Of course, they merely told her that she just needed to go for it and just see what happens.

 

If only it was that easy.

 

She had survived a war and yet the war that was going on inside her mind was tearing her apart, piece by piece and the only way to win was to be brave and tell him.

 

But Neji was different. He was raised in a family that deterred in showing their emotions, at least, their true inner feelings to the outside world. His reactions were always limited no matter where they were and were particularly so when the two of them received the same assignment.

 

It was only when they were alone that they were seen as “newlyweds” who were deeply in love with one another. He wasn’t one for public affection, but he always held her hand, always let her stray closer to him, but grew embarrassed when she kissed his cheek.

 

That was just a few of the reasons why she fell in love with a guy like that.

 

Her sigh carried out as she rested her head against the firmness of the table, her mind lay in a scattered mess.

 

It was very abnormal for her to behave this way, as she would usually be out training or walking through the weekly bizarre that was held every Wednesday morning and lasted until the late evenings, looking and standing in awe at the newest installment of prototype weapons.

 

Instead, she sat wearily in their kitchen, her hair pulled hastily into a woven and loose bun, another odd feature as she usually took care in making her hair appeal to her elaborate style which incorporated two buns.

 

Still, she had a reason to act the way she was.

 

The subject at hand wasn’t always the easiest to explain. Particularly if it involved a Hyuga.

 

_By tonight, he will know,_ she thought assuredly. _I just have to set up a pleasant situation._

_Go out on a date?_

_No._

_Cook for him?_

_No._ They ate with his family most of the time.

_Hold him hostage?_

_Tempting. But no._

She groaned as she sat up, placing her jaw into the cradle of her hands as she shut her eyes.

An idea made them pop back open.

 

“That’s it!” she exclaimed aloud as she stood up, the chair scooting back behind her, her palms pressing on the table.

 

For once in her life, she was glad he was at a family meeting on the other side of the main courtyard, a good distance away from where they resided.

 

 

“Since Neji enjoys the simplest of things, then I will just make tonight simple! Easy!”

 

The idea, though rather meek and unimpressive, sent her on a whirlwind of contentment as she turned away from the table, lightly tapping her feet as she danced into the living room, spinning before landing on top of a large cushion that had been placed near the other pillows.

 

Her smile now beamed up towards the ceiling.

 

How meager she began to think she was as she scoffed at her frustration that had been haunting her for weeks. She knew she had a habit of blowing things out of proportion and often making the not-so-serious situations much more serious of a dilemma than what they needed to be.

 

But as her excitement filled her chest, the unease of the unknown crept in again and her smile faded.

 

One problem had been solved while another lay in the future.

 

“No matter what happens, it will be okay,” she whispered to herself as she turned over to lay on her side, curling into a fetal position against the large cushion.

 

It was then that she heard the not yet familiar front door slide open before clicking shut shortly after.

 

The meeting had ended.

 

Quickly, she sat up, relieving herself the comfort the cushion had given her and almost trotting over to the door to meet him, nearly bumping into him instead.

 

She released a gasp as she came into contact with his chest, the sturdiness setting her off balance as he held onto her shoulders to prevent her from stumbling backward.

 

“Tenten,” he said carefully, obviously not startled by her sudden entrance.

 

Even without his byakugon, he could sense her coming right for him.

 

In defense, her palms pressed against his village-issued vest, relaxing as she regained her composure. She kept her hands steady against his covered torso.

 

“Sorry, Neji! I didn’t mean to run into you. How was-,”

 

He had removed his hold on her shoulders and began to stroll by her, something in his demeanor, though hard to pinpoint, made her heart drop slightly.

 

He was always like this if the meeting had been particularly frustrating.

 

She turned, watching him as he disappeared into the hallway that led to their bedroom, her disappointment and worry clouding the short burst of happiness she had only moments ago.

 

With a sigh, she began to follow him, determination in her footsteps as she turned in the same direction he had, looking past each of the few rooms for his presence until she found that it was only the bedroom that he could be residing in.

She neared the corner, looking cautiously into the doorway before entering as she saw him remove his forehead protector, a tied band that held a silver plaque in the front, the swirling engraving of a leaf shining in the light as he untied the ribbon.

 

It was then that she couldn’t help but grin painfully at his bare forehead, free from the green curse mark that had been tattooed onto his skin and into the very depth of his nerves, the mark he had hated his entire life.

 

Odd as it may sound, every time he removed his forehead protector, she grew timid, saddened to a degree of the wretched memory that she wanted to forget but knew she had to remember.

 

His death.

 

The war hadn’t been fair, not to anyone and especially not to him. She hadn’t seen it happen until it was too late, far too soon for her to do anything to prevent the spikes of wood that impaled him. He was killed within a few moments as he lay in the arms of a dear friend and comrade, his cousin fell to her knees as she could only look towards his fading light encircled in his eyes.

 

It wasn’t until after they said he was dead that Tenten felt something impale her as well, an unforeseen force that stabbed right through her heart.

 

She herself was surprised that no tears fell from her own eyes as she saw him, his eyes still open with the curse mark dissolved from his skin.

 

But on the inside, the pain was excruciating, making it too painful to believe in what reality was showing her, forcing her to look at as she held in her breath, unsure of whether to scream out his name or simply fall to her knees.

 

Instead, the only option she forced herself to take was the one that undermined her emotion, showing no value but only a blink of sadness. In war, there was no time for tears to be shed. Besides, she knew that she would do plenty of that once the whole thing was over and done with, when she was alone and left to empty out her bleeding heart.

 

That didn’t happen.

 

He had survived, waking up sometime later to everyone’s dismay.

 

The curse had died but he had not.

 

And now, as she watched him neatly fold the headband and put it on top of their dresser, she felt her heart bellow and burst with the love she carried.

 

He turned towards her.

 

“I’m going to meditate for a while.” He said bleakly as he made his way over to the sliding door that led out to their small courtyard.

 

He had taken hold of the small gap on the edge, about to pull the door open to the side when her voice piped up from behind him.

 

“Neji, hold on a second! There is something I want to ask you.”

 

With the refuge she sought behind the frame of the entryway and with the unsurprising silence she received as a response, Tenten cleared her throat as quietly as she could before proceeding.

 

“I was thinking- would you maybe like to- I don’t know, stay in tonight? It’s been a while since we have spent some alone time together.”

 

And while looking over his shoulder slightly, did he speak.

 

“Certainly.”

 

His posture once again remained stoic as he focused his impending attention back on meditating, sliding open the door and allowing some chirps from the nests of resting jays to orchestrate into their home before it was shut and the rest of the world was once again in its own reality, leaving Tenten to grin widely as she skipped down the hall to continue her plan.

...............................................................................................

By the time he had once again entered their home, the sun was noticeably lower than it was before, sinking slightly further down in its sky. It had been pleasant with the temperatures baring warm surpluses and yet, it confused him. Tenten almost always went out and about on days like this, never getting home till at least closer to the middle of the afternoon. Indeed, it had bothered him initially, but he eventually shook it off, knowing that the time he had been craving so desperately with her was finally going to take place that very evening. Nothing else mattered other than that.

 

None.

 

The breath of cool air refreshed and cleared his groggy mind from its past state of meditation, entering into his body like a stream of new life.

 

It always felt wonderful to meditate, especially after a meeting as stressful as the one he had just hours before, the one he had been rather vocal towards in regards to the reasonings proposed by the elders and his uncle.

 

As much as he wanted to, there were things that were left hushed, much to his dismay and frustration. It was not that he was afraid of being ignored but rather, that he was passionate for ridding the majority of the conservative ways of the clan to make way for a more modern picture of ruling. And yet, if he spoke out too hastily, the elders especially enjoyed using their permission for his marriage against him.

 

They always said the same thing, behind their sneers and solid expressions of age.

 

_“You should be grateful that we allowed you to marry such an ordinary girl at the wishes of Lord Hiashi. It was only because you saved his eldest daughter at the cost of your own life.”_

The same sentences, the same words, and the same intent of making him shut his mouth and obey their wishes- it was a common occurrence he was growing fatigued of. But no matter how much anger he carried, no matter the frustration he had, there was still someone who wasn’t a part of the clan by blood he could speak freely to, without limitations and prying voices that used personal decisions against him.

 

And he could hear her muttering beneath her breath as the careful unrolling of the parchment scrolls spread across the floor of their living quarters, the slight smell of the shadow-coated ink hitting him for a moment before passing by.

 

He followed the sounds of paper fluttering, unraveling beneath her fingertips as she examined each scroll individually, all of them being undressed at once.

 

With his side leaned against the frame that entered into the hallway, he watched her as she stared, shaking her head before rolling up a scroll and placing it gingerly back into the box in the event of changing her mind (which she often did).

 

Though it sounded rather creepy when said out loud, he enjoyed watching her do things such as this, with her concentration devoted to one task after another, surveying whatever she was needing to find until she found her answer. It was always fascinating to see her in such a state of silence, where the only sounds that could travel were the ones beneath the balance of her fingers as she worked. There would be times when she would hum a song he had never heard and yet it was the same one she always chose to occupy her voice as she did the work she was invested in.

 

It was not long after he recalled her whispering hum that she began to sing under her breath, the words masked by the melody as it lay smooth and traveled across to him, making him at once feel sudden peace at her humble mood that had drawn him to her.

As she continued her hum, Neji took his leave from leaning against the frame and approached her cautiously, not wanting to frighten her like he often did by mistake. She seemed deeply focused on examining the numerous hand-written scrolls, almost as if there was an item she was becoming frustrated in finding with each scroll she rolled up and put off to the side.

 

He purposely cleared his throat to make her believe that he had just entered the room, fooling her and ceasing her humming as she turned to meet his eyes as he pretended like he hadn’t spent a moment merely watching her from a short distance away.

 

“Done meditating?” she asked as her eyes brightened upon his entrance, one scroll still promptly laying between her hands with the parchment clearly designed with black ink-spotted over the page.

 

He nodded before taking a seat beside her, his legs folded beneath him as he quickly read over the characters printed in her writing.

 

“What have you been doing?” he wondered as she continued to look over the scroll that was demanding her attention.

 

“I’m just checking things over and making sure I stocked up on everything we may need for missions. While you were out, your uncle came by for a short visit and told me that we may be put back on the roster.”

 

“I see.”

 

He found it strange that he hadn’t heard his uncle’s voice but shrugged it off.

 

He was just glad he didn’t have to face another clan member after that frustrating meeting.

 

She must’ve seen a slight change in his expression, because she put the scroll down in front of her and edged closer to Neji, sitting up slightly on her knees so that she could cup the side of his face farthest from her, bringing his other cheek to meet the tenderness of her lips as she kissed his skin softly.

 

The heat rose to his face rather quickly.

 

Getting used to this intimacy was a new journey for him, one that he enjoyed nonetheless but also one where he became flustered and unsure of how to respond to such loving gestures.

 

She rested her forehead against his temple, her palm still pressing slightly against his cheek as he brought his own up to tenderly grasp her wrist

 

“Whatever happened at the meeting,” she mumbled lovingly. “Is all done and over with. Please don’t dwell on this. You’ve already done so much for the clan, for your friends, and for me. No matter what happens, we are all so proud of you Neji.”

 

It was times when she did things like that, said those kind words to him, that he felt a happiness he never thought he could achieve in feeling, an emotion towards someone that he hadn’t felt since the time of his childhood when his father was alive. It was the type of happiness a child felt when their parents returned home from work or when a lover returned from a war that felt like a lifetime. It was the feeling of relief, in knowing that love can exist despite the cruelty that belongs only in the world.

 

But it didn’t always have to exist.

 

He knew that was true when he met her.

 

They stayed like that for a few seconds, enjoying the silence between them as their embrace said the words the needn’t be said in order to be heard.

 

That was exactly what love was.

With slight refusal, she pulled away from him, peering into his eyes that now faced her entirely with a small smile as she used the very hand already on his cheek to brush some loose strands of his hair back, feeling the warmth radiating from his skin at her touch.

 

“Thank you, Tenten,” he muttered earnestly, her smile reflecting on his own as he gave her wrist a soft squeeze before pulling away, much to his own disapproval.

 

“Are we still going to be here tonight?” he asked as he stood, his fingers had shifted to hold her hand from where she sat on the floor, looking up at him as he looked down on her.

 

“Yeah! Are you going to be doing something before then?” she asked as she felt his fingers slip from her own, allowing her hand to drop back down onto her lap.

 

He looked at her with a blank, yet quizzical expression.

 

“Have you forgotten? Lee asked us if we wanted to train with him. Although, I am sure he will do it with or without us present.”

 

Tenten chuckled lightly as her eyes closed for a moment’s breath before looking back up at him.

 

“That’s right, I guess I did forget! I am going to have to pass on that one. I want to get things ready for tonight.”

 

_That is strange,_ Neji thought as he carefully searched her expression for the presence of any internal conflict she may be hiding. _She never passes up on training, even if she does have things to do later on._

But he once again shrugged off the feeling of abnormality that was tugging at his sleeve and began to walk off towards the door, listening as her footsteps followed him down the narrowness of the entryway and towards the steps as he sat down, reaching for his shoes that had been organized next to her own smaller pair.

 

“Is there a specific time you would like me to return?” he asked as he buckled his boots from behind, clipping them as tight as they could go. Training with Lee wasn’t going to be a mere stretching session after all.

 

“A little before dark will be fine,” She said from behind him. He heard the amusement in her voice.

 

“It might be hard with Lee. I hope he doesn’t keep challenging his rival to a duel.”

 

Neji scoffed pleasantly at her remark before standing, turning to face her once more.

 

“I’m sure I can convince him to let me go. Besides, there are more days ahead of us to train.”

 

Tenten nodded as Neji turned away from her to unlatch the door and open it slightly before stepping out and allowing the lock to once again click back into place.

 

Though he still had no apparent clue as to why Tenten wanted to spend a simple evening with him, it hadn’t seemed to make him question it until after he was crossing the bridge that connected their small home to the main compound. She had seemed upbeat (not that it was unusual for her to be happy and cheerful) but it was a form of this positive energy that made him question her motives.

 

But, at least for now, he would hold off on that paranoia of the unknown and instead focus on putting all his efforts in fighting Lee until the time came for him to return home.

 

And he couldn’t help but feel gratitude towards spending a quiet evening alone with his wife.

.....................................................................................

“Neji, you are appearing much slower today. Is something the matter?”

 

Until Lee had said it, Neji hadn’t realized his lack of speed during their spar, especially since his mind had traveled elsewhere as their ankles collided with each other’s tendons and their wrists blocked every punch that was thrown.

 

It hadn’t even occurred to him that the sun was already on the verge of being lowered from its throne in a manner that was meticulous as the leaving of Winter itself, being put to rest still in the earliest of times.

 

Lee had picked a very tolerable day to spar, with a temperature that was pleasantly cool with little brisk from the wind. Though Spring had arrived nearly two weeks past, it seemed as if the village and its outskirts were bearing little recognition from the change in season. As charismatic and odd as it was, most of the villagers didn’t seem to mind this later array of change, particularly in the sense of the gentle temperatures that spared a generous amount of warmth.

 

The training grounds were no less different.

 

The three logs, still standing (a peculiar occurrence indeed) after so many years and brutal beatings from overly-confident and determined children alike, were watching with eyes unforeseen to others. Even the trees surrounding the barren practice field were observing in silence with their naked and frail appearance, their plethora of greenery ridden away with the frigidity of winter.

 

But soon, everything, including those who remain silent, will be full of life once again.

 

At least two hours had passed since the beginning of their friendly battle, both not willing to yield until the time had been called and the result was either a losing on Lee’s part or a draw on behalf of both of them.

 

Like their usual fights, Lee was putting his all into this one, mustering each ounce of strength and speed he possessed to try and take down Neji, a man he had deemed as his “greatest rival” since their first meeting as children who had just graduated from the academy.

 

Time had passed by but some things were still the same, especially in the sense of Lee who sported a god-forsaken bowl-cut and a dark emerald spandex jumpsuit (also god-forsaken) along with their teacher (who also sported the same style) of many years.

 

Too many things had changed and too many opportunities were passed up but Lee was still and would always be the same, challenging his rival since the age of twelve and doing more push-ups and laps than any normal human could do.

 

Neji didn’t have time to respond right away after Lee landed another kick against his defense, his forearm taking the pressure and pushing it away last minute as he combated it with his own leg, nearly landing a hit on Lee’s chest before he too was blocked on the defense, leaping backward to gain distance and to administer a proper response.

 

“Not really. I just have a lot to think about at the moment.” He said as he steadied his breath the best he could. If there was one thing Neji could admit, it was that Lee was no doubt getting stronger and keeping up with him was starting to become a difficult task that he couldn’t help but enjoy in pursuing.

 

 

Lee gained his composure as well, straightening his left leg behind him as he anchored the ball of his foot into the ground, his torso compelled to the side with a steady arm outreaching, his palm held flat in the direction of his opponent.

 

He was also appearing to be tired.

 

Neji, taking note of both the time indicated by the sun and he and Lee’s exhaustion, stood up, straightening himself as he relaxed his stance to show that the spar was over.

 

“We should stop here for today,” he announced, his breath catching up with him once again.

 

“I have to be back by sundown and no later.”

It took Lee a moment to comprehend that the spar was over and once he did, he too straightened up and disregarded his intense stance in preparation for an attack.

 

“Why is that Neji?” he prodded non-too hazardously.

 

“Tenten requested that we take some time to be alone tonight.”

 

Lee changed his demeanor, suddenly widening his smile and stretching it towards each side of his face until Neji swore that his cheekbones were what prevented the gesture from expanding any further. His eyes, dark and wide as a surprised frog, seemed to brighten and shine at a rate that was far from being normal.

 

He didn’t say anything, just stared at Neji with that look until his rival started to become uncomfortable and backed away slightly, despite the great distance already between them.

 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that Lee?” he inquired after he scrunched up his nose and narrowed his eyes in disgust.

 

“Oh, how wonderful it is to be in the time of youth when one is wed! You two are at your peak in your springtime of youth and tonight you embrace it!”

 

He had cooed when he said that, holding his hands up as he clasped them together on the side of his face, twirling and mumbling something about love that Neji did not care to hear.

 

“What are you talking about? Did Tenten tell you something that I should be kept in the dark about?”

 

Lee stopped his rather odd and weird movements to look once more at Neji with that unsettling look still plastered upon his expression.

 

“No, no, she has not told me of any secret! It’s just so blissful to finally hear that my two greatest comrades and friends are celebrating their marriage for what it was meant to be! It is so beautiful; I think I might faint!”

 

“If you do, I won’t catch you and instead let you hit your head so that all of this nonsense will cease to be recalled in your memory when you regain consciousness.”

 

Neji turned away, scoffing at the foolishness as he began to take his time back towards the estate, huffing as Lee called after him.

 

“You shall see what I mean, my rival! But even though you are married, do not forget that I will continue to challenge you until the victory is mine!”

 

Neji closed his eyes and allowed himself to smirk.

 

_I will see what you mean, will I now? Let’s hope you are right this time, Lee._

_................................................................................................._

She was growing restless in waiting for the sun to be put to slumber, the fear of the unknown creeping behind her and swallowing up her shadow as the light was beginning to sink from outside the opened windows.

 

She paced around the house, muttering and cursing only to herself as she judged the future circumstance, already hearing his voice telling her the words she was afraid he would say in her head.

 

Since the time his steps had grown absent from her hearing, Tenten was in a scope of stress and excitement, entering and leaving her all at once with her inhales and exhales along with her sighs and groans.

 

This was not a child’s desire she was inquiring from him, after all.

 

After realizing that pacing and merely talking to herself would not put her mind at ease, she grumbled and turned her attention to an activity that would occupy her focus until his arrival home, one she wasn’t really in the mood of doing but at least it was something productive that would not take a century’s timekeeping to do.

 

Her feet, the soles already slightly sore from pacing, eventually led her reluctant body to the kitchen, past the empty door frame that led from the living space.

 

Since the time of their moving in, both Neji and Tenten hadn’t had much cooking practice in their new home, primarily because the majority of all their meals (with certain exceptions involving tea) were all placed in the family’s own dining hall, leaving the cooking and attention-keeping to those who worked for the estate and for the clan.

 

But that did not mean that Tenten did not enjoy cooking nor did it mean she was any less good at it than the best kitchen attendants living at the estate.

 

It just wasn’t the right time for her to feel passionate about it.

 

It wasn’t the right time to _be_ passionate about anything else other than her confrontation with her husband that would happen in who knows when.

 

Their kitchen, much like the rest of their home, was not left to the imagination as it carried the burden of being very modest and modern, with a stove that was only used for brewing herbal tea, an oven underneath that lay textured by the color of eggshell cream, a refrigerator that was of the same scheme as the oven, and an assortments of cabinets and nooks baring whatever was needed in a kitchen. And although it was hardly ever used, there would be times she would go in there out of habit, stand around, look, and then leave thinking how naïve she was to return to old habits.

 

And another habit was returning.

 

She found herself walking linear towards the apron that hung on the iron-clad hook located right beside the far end of the cupboard hindered by the lightest texture of pine wood with sketched in designs upon the surface of the door. Though this cupboard looked meagerly like a closet, it housed the dishes, plates, teacups, kettles, and all other assortments that would be required in a home with a kitchen.

 

The majority of which were seldom used.

 

As she approached the apron that hung so silently on the hook, her thoughts became smothered in her own doubt and in her desire to forget about the cloud that hung over her head like a menacing noose, the stress and uncertainty wanting nothing more than to strangle her.

 

It was when her own hand reached out that the opening of the front door snapped her from her illusion, making her jump slightly at the announcement of her husband as she heard the door shut, the silence filled by the mumbling of his boots unbuckling and discarding off to the side.

 

With her fist held firmly against her chest, she squeezed her fingertips into the flesh of her palms, taking in a hesitant breath as she carefully walked out of the entryway into the kitchen, wanting to act as though she had been in the living area the entire time of his absence.

 

Her scheme, however, had been enacted much too late as she once again nearly collided into him.

 

And, once again, he was not fazed in the slightest by her surprising entrance.

 

She had stopped herself from nearly crashing into him, taking a dainty step back as she looked up at his face, his eyes saying the words that he did not want to say.

 

_Why the hell do we keep bumping into each other in our own home?_

Her smile took the place of her shock as she laughed nervously.

 

“Hey, you’re back earlier than I thought you’d be.” She denoted, a reflection of humor still tickling in her throat.

 

“I actually think I am back on time,” he responded, silently ignoring the appearance of sudden playfulness in her tone and demeanor.

 

Gingerly, she reached for his shoulders, placing her palms firmly against his blades as she neared closer to him, lifting her heels off the ground and balancing on her toes, directing him to lower his head just a bit as she tenderly kissed his forehead.

 

He sighed contently as she pulled away, etching her feet back down on the ground and smiling at him softly before turning away, passing him as she made her way into the hallway of the entrance.

 

“Take a bath, you smell like Lee after he runs around the village a thousand times.” She said cheekily without looking back at him as she disappeared behind the wall leading to their bedroom.

 

He watched her leave, waiting till she was gone to chuckle under his breath at his wife’s sense of humor and her use of offending words (never did he like being compared to Lee’s _fragrance)._

 

Retracing the same path she went by, he made his way past the living quarters and into the hallway, doing as he was told at the discretion of his wife to take a bath, his legs tired from the spar as they led him into the bathroom.

 

And by the time the water had started running to the time he had finished drying off, the meeting that had given him much frustration was a forgotten memory.

 

For now.


	3. Chapter 3

They had skipped dinner with the family that night.

 

It had been an unspoken agreement between both Tenten and Neji to avoid seeing other members of the clan just for tonight, with Tenten going out while Neji was in the bath and finding a maid of the clan's estate, delivering the message to her to give to Hiashi at the earliest convenience as a warning of their absence.

 

There hadn't been a response, at least, not in the evening thus far.

 

And they doubted that there wouldn't be any as soon as the velvet of the night appeared and consumed the darkening sky with cloudless ease.

 

For a moment, there had been silence between them, both sitting on the porch just on the outside of their bedroom, wearing clothing meant for sleep and comfort, with their silken robes draped around their shoulders and covering their backs.

 

Behind was a cleared plate, sprinkled with sesame seeds that etched into the cleanliness of the disk.

 

Just an hour ago, there had been four of Tenten's most loved food sitting on that plate, waiting to be shared among them. Neji had proposed that while she was out telling the servant of their absence, she had also requested sesame buns to be dropped off as soon as possible, ideally before the clan's evening meal had started and there was no time to carry out dwindling requests as simple as sesame buns.

 

Within a span of half an hour, the request had been achieved, as Tenten made her way to the front door and took them graciously from the maid, giving her utmost thanks and appreciation as she waved the young lady off. Neji, at that time, was brewing some of his green tea for them to drink.

 

The liquid swirled tenaciously in the cups, the green taking the color of a peeled aloe vera leafling in the darkness that befell upon the earth, the cups metallic in shape and structure as they yielded to their purpose of containment.

 

It had been especially pleasant that night, matching both the climate and atmosphere that had circulated when the sun was still alive that very same day. There were no clouds to hide the gleaming of the stars in their mass of cotton as the backdrop lay clear and untouched, it's violet and deserted hue covering the horizon like a blanket.

 

Everything was how it would be if the world knew peace.

 

The distance was not much of a distance at all between them, as she leaned over, her temple and the side of her head resting against his shoulder, their fingers interlocked as their hands rested atop their laps, their legs and feet dangling over the edge of the wooden surface without care.

 

Few words passed by as the nightfall's silence consumed the sound that was meant to be heard, their breaths being the only human characteristic drowning out the insanity of isolation.

 

Her hair was out, no longer contained by any hairstyle she was accustomed to as the strands fell against her cheek and flowed partly down his shoulder. A hush of the wind would come by from time and time again, tickling her skin with her own locks as they were blown to the side softly as if caressed by a hidden being.

 

Everything was natural and how it was meant to be.

 

 

She wanted to allow herself to sleep, to rest in the company of her husband.

 

But that wasn't the point of the night.

 

Sitting here, where they were safe and no one could hurt them, leaning against each other as their hands were chained together by their own freewill-all gave her a peace she never expected to gain out of this moment. Her anxiety and fear had gone still with him being by her side, taking her not for granted, but for what she was worth, instilling a power of mental and emotional strength she knew she had and yet never believed in.

 

The time had come.

 

To be open, to be honest, to be-,

 

"Tenten,"

 

His voice stopped her thoughts from continuing as she was struck to full consciousness, the dreariness of slumber no longer pulling her into the shadows of oblivion.

 

"Are you happy?"

 

Something lodged in her throat.

 

Turning her head slightly, she fixated her gaze on his face, the stillness of his eyes as he stared out into the blank awakening of the night. Nothing seemed to change, at least in his demeanor, while he waited for her response, something that would either give him peace or a feeling of unworthiness.

 

She was quick.

 

"Of course! Should I have a reason to not be happy?"

 

This seemed to unsettle him slightly.

 

"It's not that. I just-,"

 

"You just what?" she asked teasingly.

 

It was not like her husband to be at a loss for words, especially when it came to his own answers. Sitting where they were when everything was falling into unconsciousness around them. There was obviously something going on in his head, a process he was trying to get out to her in the best way he knew how. She was still trying to get him to open up to her a little more, to see what really happens in the mind of the greatly respected genius of the village when he does not know what to say.

 

She heard him swallow harshly.

 

"I just want to make you happy, Tenten. There is nothing more that I want to strive for than to be a good husband and to care for you. If there is anything that I may be lacking, please, tell me."

 

His words were almost pleading, masked behind a tone of indifference as he narrowed his eyes, appearing to be almost disappointed in himself.

 

He looked defeated.

 

Taking her head off his shoulder, she faced him, her stare hard and penetrating.

 

"Neji, look at me."

 

He did as he was instructed, widening his eyes by a fraction as he met her own.

 

Her hands reached out.

 

The touch was anything but gentle.

 

Her palms smacked lightly as they hit his flesh, pressing into the blooming pink coloration of his cheek as she used her grip to bring his face closer to hers, the intent and challenge circulating within her.

 

Bringing her legs back up from dangling off the side of the porch, she tucked them underneath, her hold on him never ceasing as she sat on her knees, fully turning her body toward him in a manner that was as demanding as it was charming.

 

"You are a wonderful husband! Everyone has their own determination of what a ‘good' husband is, and we have only been married for almost a year. I chose you to spend the rest of my life with and there is and will never be anyone else who can replace you."

 

Slowly, she retracted the firmness of her grip on his face, loosening her squeezing as she slid her palms and fingertips down to his jaw, traveling down his neck, and spreading to his shoulders where they stopped.

 

"So, yes, I am happy. I haven't hurdled any kunais at you yet."

 

Her expression softened as a tender smile took the place of the serious frown she had earlier.

 

He blinked at her several times, his lips partly open as he could only take in her truth, the underlying threshold he had no idea existed becoming a reality before him. It was something he had to take in and understand before he could make any more assumptions and before he could question her any more than he had already done.

 

The relief was what cleansed him.

 

Neji finally closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them once more, looking at his wife lovingly as he accepted her answer as it was.

 

"Thank you, Tenten. I feel more at ease knowing that. I apologize for being too upfront with you." He said earnestly, the blush fading slightly from the surface of his skin.

 

She couldn't help but chuckle at his visible flustering.

 

"Sheesh, Neji. I never knew the Hyuga were worried about such things."

 

"The Hyuga are human too, Tenten."

 

She scoffed at his ignorance towards her teasing, removing her hands from their resting position against his shoulders, placing them on the boards of the porch as a balance while she took her legs out from underneath her, once again letting them dangle beside his as she turned her body back to neutral, directing the same hand as earlier and placing it back with Neji's, their fingers interlocking instantly as she now sat closer to him.

 

"Yeah, yeah, I know genius. For a minute I thought I married an alien."

 

"Hilarious."

 

The conversation had made her become forgetful about all of her fears. If Neji had been able to open up to her about something that has been bothering him for a time unbeknownst to her, then why couldn't she find the courage to do the same?

 

She loved him and she knew that he loved her all the same.

 

There were no boundaries that separated them, no restrictions on their relationship. If there had been denial, then they wouldn't be sitting together, holding their hands to form a single body with their hindered thoughts and emotions coming out for only each other to hear.

 

She took in a breath.

 

 

"Neji-,"

 

"Tenten-,"

 

They stared at each other before Tenten laughed lightly and Neji smiled at their interruption.

 

"What were you going to say?" Neji inquired through his embarrassment.

 

"You go first." She responded fairly.

 

"Tenten, is it not you who believes in the ‘ladies first' rule-?"

 

"I do believe in that. But as your spouse, I believe in the ‘listen to your wife' rule even more. Now tell me what you were going to say." 

 

She smiled triumphantly as he sighed, knowing that he was defeated and there was no point in arguing with her over something that needn't be argued about further.

 

He shifted a little, no longer keeping his vision on her and instead stared out into the darkening distance, the amusement none too apparent in his face.

 

She felt him squeeze her hand tenderly.

 

"I want to tell you about the meeting."

 

His topic had left her a bit surprised since she normally never asked him to tell her about family and clan affairs. They didn't usually concern her, but they almost always concerned him.

 

She fell silent as she nodded, unsure of how to respond with her words. Her eyes narrowed softly as she looked in the same direction as him, out towards a distance that would forever be unmeasurable to the human eye as the stars guided the way in a scattered plot point with no real path to go by.

 

Tenten felt him tense a bit more beside her.

 

"You are a part of this family and this clan now. You have every reason and right to know what is occurring in this compound."

 

His tone was lukewarm, a neutral vibe of emotionless prosperity that made her realize the seriousness of what he was saying and what he would say in a matter of seconds.

 

She didn't know if it would hurt or not.

 

"So far, the majority of the meetings have been about the fate of the children and new generation," he continued.

 

The heart that had been pumping blood at a resting rate was now on its way to slamming against her sternum as she felt the bile rise in her throat, knowing that what he was going to say would not be what she wanted to hear.

 

There was never any "good news" in regarding the fate of the children.

 

However, she would still listen, no matter how painful it got.

 

He continued, unknown to her displeasure.

 

"Most of the branch members have either already had children or are children themselves. Those who have children to call their own are becoming older and are reaching the point where child-bearing is seen as a threat to the health and prosperity of the offspring."

 

"Although I am not necessarily a declared branch member anymore, I am, regardless, a member of that section of the clan until the day I die, with or without the cursed seal."

His free hand on the far side of him raised up, allowing his fingertips to stroke the clear skin on his forehead, no longer tattooed by the life sentence inflicted upon him as a child.

 

He removed his hand as he felt her eyes on him grow saddened, placing it back beside him as if it had never risen up to remind him of his past.

 

"Regardless, the issue that remains is the lack of offspring that has overtaken the clan. For months now, ever seen we were married, the clan elders have been pressuring me to have a child."

 

The ramming against her breastbone stopped as Tenten's eyes widened, a shudder of hope and happiness overtaking her frightful demeanor that was hard to hide. Nonetheless, she tried to hide it anyway, hoping to hear the very words she so longed to tell him coming from his own lips.

 

"Even after the day we were wed, it has been a constant struggle. The clan has become divided on the issue, with half of the members advising me to not have a child, considering that you are an outsider on behalf of the bloodline while the other half encourages it. Lord Hiashi is one of those members who is accepting of my offspring, should I have one."

 

It was becoming a far greater challenge than she anticipated to keep it in, her body trying its hardest to not show the excitement that was radiating from inside itself.

 

He didn't seem to notice the gleam in her eyes as she continued to look up at him.

 

"It hasn't been an easy topic to discuss with any of the members, primarily because I will not be the one who will carry the child. No matter how often or how desperately I tell them, they do not seem to care to really listen to me. It is their ordering of me to have a child that has made me so agitated."

 

"I tell them that I have not discussed this topic with you, nor have you with me and that you are not ready-,"

 

"But I am."

 

In an instant, he turned his head to only find himself locking his eyes with hers, the smile on her face and the tears threatening to fall in her glistening irises making his heart quicken its beat as her grip on his hand tightened slightly.

 

"Neji, do you remember when we first moved in and the question you had asked me while we were unpacking some of the boxes?" She asked softly, the blood and heat traveling to her cheeks, a pigmented blush forming against her skin.

 

He took in a hasty breath.

 

"I asked you if there was anything you wanted." He replied, his tone also quieting as the beating in his chest started to echo in his skull.

 

She nodded slowly, using her free hand to gingerly bring up to his cheek, placing her warm palm against the outside shell that was beginning to blush as well.

 

"There is something I want, Neji." She said as her gaze remained steadily on him.

 

The change had become real by the way he studied her expression, one that was honest and visible. He had never thought she would be sharing in the same desire as him all this time, the one thing he wanted to share with her for the rest of their lives.

 

A being that could only be created by them.

 

His breath was beginning to falter but he kept it under control no less.

 

He wanted to hear the words.

 

 

She lingered for a bit, almost as if she was becoming nervous and unsure of how to exactly phrase her response.

 

But she allowed herself to breathe, to feel the moment that was circulating around them and enjoy his presence.

 

It was then, the look in his changing expression, that she gave herself the push and released what had been growing inside of her.

 

"Neji," she whispered as her eyes continued to water.

 

"I want a baby."


	4. Chapter 4

“Neji, do you really have to do this?”

“Yes, Tenten.”

She grimaced as she continued to follow him out their bedroom, her pajamas still on her back as her hair remained undone from the previous night, now tangled and in need of a brush to separate the strands. 

He had awoken before her that very morning and by the time her body craved for another’s warmth and her eyes opened drearily, he was standing at their dresser, tying his hair into his usual low ponytail that he had always worn. 

That was how she knew he would be going out.

Her mind was still in a state of disapproval upon waking up, making her rub her eye with the side of a loosely clenched fist as she watched him turn towards her, already knowing what she was going to ask. 

It had taken her a few moments to register what exactly he had said to her, that he was going to meet with his uncle to inform him of their decision to start trying for a baby. 

By the time she had nodded and he was exiting the room, her entire body and mind jolted awake at the realization of each word he just said, especially the few that consisted of, “trying to conceive” dawning in his voice. 

“Conceive”? she had at first pondered nonchalantly as she yawned, knowing that she could now go back to her rest with ease while he was out with his uncle. 

Wait a minute, conceive means…

She had felt the blood boiling up to her face, her skin and flesh nearly burning like hardening flames to the touch. At once, she had crawled out of bed, nearly tripping over her pillow, as she ran after him, hoping to halt his actions before he made it to the door. 

“Neji, do you even know how you are going to phrase it?” she asked, anxiety and humiliation both becoming apparent in her tone. 

“Yes.” 

His response was not as emotionally gripping as hers. In fact, it was far from being in the same sphere of awareness that she was currently in. Indeed, she understood why he needed to tell Hiashi their plans, but she couldn’t suppress the intense embarrassment building up inside her abdomen that told her fibers, nerves, and muscles to stop him from leaving. 

“Okay, tell me what you are going to say to your uncle.” She demanded worriedly, wandering behind him as they both walked past the living quarters and near the opening that led to the hallway guarding the front door. 

“I am going to tell him exactly what I said, Tenten. That you and I are going to conceive for a child.” 

His demeanor told her that he really didn’t understand where she was coming from at all, remaining its neutral and compelling self without care to express his inner thoughts. He had detected the fear and desperation in her voice but had failed to see what was causing it. 

And even she knew that he was being oblivious.

It was when that they were closing in on the front door that Tenten found that she had no choice but to shuffle beside him until she was in front, blocking the exit as she now faced him. 

He stopped, looking down at her with an unchanged expression as he studied the redness blotching her face.

“You can’t say it like that!” she hissed as she held up her palms and put them against his chest, furthering him from moving ahead of her. 

“Why not?”

“B-because!”

“Because what?”

Her face was starting to fume.

“Because you are basically telling your uncle that we are… you know-,”

Even the thought of her saying the word made her unsure of herself since they had never actually done it, before.

He gave her a questioning raise of an eyebrow, uncertain of what exactly was causing her to turn so red. Taking both of his hands and going between her two arms, he placed his palms on her cheeks, instantly feeling the intense heat radiating off of them in an almost abnormal manner. 

“Tenten, are you feeling alright? You are extremely red-,” he began but was cut off by the shake of her head. 

“Neji, don’t you understand? You’re basically telling your uncle and pretty much the rest of the clan that we are going to be doing it!” 

“’ It’?” he repeated, still unsure of what exactly she was going on about. 

“Tenten, what are you talking about?”

He removed his hands from her face as she pouted, refusing to make eye contact out of her embarrassment. It was a rare sight to see her this way, her blood boiling on the inside of her flesh as she was trying to explain herself but had a difficult time in doing so. He would’ve smiled but he knew how mad that would make her especially in her current state of discomfort. 

She clenched her jaw, also retracting her hands from his body as she covered her eyes with her hands, her lip trembling slightly.

“That we are going to be having sex!” she exclaimed.

The most Neji could do was stare at her. 

She peeked through a sliver made by her fingers to view his expression.

And she was disappointed to not find him as embarrassed as she was. 

“Are you not worried about that at all?” she asked as she removed her fingers from her vision, now looking at him with the distraught on her face, the redness upon her cheeks slowly beginning to diminish into a fluorescent rose.

“No matter how differently I phrase it, the meaning is all the same,” he responded calmly. “Would you rather me use the term ‘sex’ or conceive’ in the presence of my uncle and eventually the rest of the clan if he does not deliver the message in my stead?”

Her temperature was returning to normal as she continued to look down at their feet, the humiliation now directed at her sudden outburst. As much as she hated when he spoke to her like a child, she knew that it was for her own good to better understand where she went wrong, even if it throttled her like the plague. 

“’ Conceive’,” she mumbled softly, defeated by her own words.

His fingers found their way underneath her lowered chin, raising her face so that she was now forced to look at him. 

He was smiling warmly at her.

Her blush grew darker at the sight before her. 

“Tenten,” he ushered softly. “Everything will be okay. Reproduction is something we take seriously in the clan. You do not need to feel embarrassed by its words of description.”

His head dipped slightly as he leaned forward, lifting her chin by just a fraction as he proceeded to place his lips against hers for a short-lived kiss. He knew that she loved this kind of affection and as much as he didn’t want to openly admit it, he had to confess internally how adorable she looked.

Releasing his hold, he proceeded to walk past her, reaching out towards the handle of the door that was finally unlocked to his leisure, pulling it open with ease.

“I will be back soon.”

The door had shut.

He was gone, allowing her face to redden once more at his compassionate gesture.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

The day was particularly lively in the morning, not much to his surprise as he entered into the large estate connecting his home to the main compound that surrounded the large and perfectly sculpted courtyard.

Several familiar faces had passed by him, bowing towards him moderately with him doing the same before they traveled upon the same wooden path that concealed the perimeter of the courtyard, going about their personal affairs and business. 

But the one face he saw instantly was that of his youngest cousin in the center of it all, her focus empowering her to strike with precision at the phantom opponent.

It was the timing of her palms that created a force compelling her to retract and restrict her movements when necessary at the isolation and nothingness in front of her stance, her body rigid and concentrated just like the way she was taught. 

The more he approached her, the more he saw things he hadn’t taken into account in previous circumstances.

Her hair, the same darkening ember as his, had grown out considerably in a span of a few years, becoming longer than her sister’s had ever been, eventually making her tie it back as to not get in the way with training and actual head to head combat, the elongated strand from her bangs going between her eyes and slanting as it reached her nose. 

He also saw that she was becoming more feminine. 

No longer did she wear the coal mesh training clothes Hyuga children were required to wear. She had grown into her own style, a robe that was engulfed by the colors of untamed flames as it scorched the fabric, the bows tied against the two remaining locks of hair that ran down her shoulder blades sporting the same compelling texture and coloration.

She was nearly the opposite of her older sister, pairing both kindness and a fierce pride against one another whenever he caught her fighting a willing clansman or a mere wooden stake in the ground that would not attack back. Though her strength was powerful, she also sported a troublesome and teasing side, often giving her elder sister a reason to scold her for saying such words about personal reasons, especially if they pertained to her husband of slightly more of a year and a half. 

Neji, still keeping his ground upon the wooden platform neared the edge, wavering for a bit before speaking.

“Good morning, Hanabi,” he greeted through her grunts and pitches of launching attacks.

She ceased her movements at once, turning and relaxing as she saw who had said those words to her.

“Big brother, Neji!” she exclaimed, a smile taking the place of her concentrated frown as she placed her hands on her hips, walking towards him.

She stopped when she now had to angle her chin to tilt back as to see him standing at a greater height upon the platform. 

“Have you come to finally help me train? Or perhaps, you’re ready for a challenge?” she offered as the smile turned into a mischievous sneer.

He scoffed.

“Actually, I am looking for your father. Is he in his study?” Neji inquired as he chuckled at her pout.

She shrugged.

“You act like I know where father is all the time. He could be there, he could be here, he could be on the moon-,”

“Hanabi, this is an important issue that I need to discuss with him.”

Neatly, she folded her arms over her chest in defiance, satisfied with his slight irritation caused by her joking. 

“Yeah, he’s in there. If you want to speak to him sooooo badly, then I suggest you hurry. He is meeting with the elders sometime this morning.”

“Thank you, Hanabi. As your reward for being cooperative, I will train with you today. I will see if Tenten would also like to join us.”

She gasped, taking her hands and clapping them together in front of her as if to show her thanks to his kindness. 

“Finally! It is been so long! Alright, I will hold you to your word then!”

“Yes, please do.”

Waving her off to continue with her training, Neji turned to go on his way, knowing the exact path he needed to take to find his uncle. 

His uncle’s study, which was conveniently located on the side Neji was currently on, sat the farthest away from the main gate. If there was a visitor who needed to speak with Hiashi, he had to endure the prying eyes that followed him until he reached his objective. 

That was one of the many reasons why there weren’t very many outside visitors willing to enter the compound, besides the Hokage, that is.

As he continued to further the distance between himself and his younger cousin (who returned to her grunts and palm strategies), the everlasting feeling of a negative aura seemed to engulf him in its grasp with every proceeding step he took. 

It confused him, making him start to question this feeling that was building up inside of him.

Unlike most things, this was a feeling he did not dare attempt to shake off. 

The creaking of the wooden beams beneath his feet drew him away from such unnecessary thoughts of dread as he found the entryway into a distinct and organized set of rooms, reaching forward to grab the handle and to allow it to slide to the side so that he may enter the grand hallway. 

Once the door had been slid shut, there was nothing more he could do but continue down the hall, allowing the shadowing figures of the morning darkness to grasp at him with their greedy fingers as they spread hastily across the floorboards. 

The majority of the rooms he passed by were closed off and the lack of light that radiated within them and outside the fabric of the rice paper walls told him that they were unoccupied. 

But there was one single light that was pouring out from the sewn paper of the largest room, a beam that hadn’t managed to survive all the way to the entrance. The rays that were enclosed exclusively in that single room made Neji’s spin shudder as he cornered it, finding that his breath was becoming tighter. 

It had been a while since he had spoken to his uncle in private, the last and most recent time being to discuss his desire to marry Tenten. 

While it hadn’t been necessarily uncomfortable, it was not an easy face-to-face conversation to have with his father’s twin brother, their eyes keeping contact with their expressions ceasing to change with another’s indifference. 

That memory was what occupied his mind as he neared the door, standing right outside but just far away enough so that his silhouette could not be detected.

Just as he was about to say his name, his uncle was heard from within the room, his voice seemingly fatigued upon having to awaken so early in the morning. 

“Come in, Neji.” 

Neji, uncertain of what to expect on the other side of the door, prepared himself the best way he could, squaring his shoulders and holding his head up as he reached for the handle, pulling the sliding door open as he stepped inside.

His uncle made no movements as Neji closed the door from behind him, his back facing his nephew as he sat like a broken statue in the center of the room, right in front of a leveled table utilized for smaller and more private discussions. 

It was almost as if he had been awaiting his visitor’s arrival for quite some time. 

Like the hallway, his uncle’s study was also strewn with the morning’s shadows making the colors insignificant for observation as Neji took several steps forward. 

Hiashi sat still and silent, looking down at an assortment of documents as if to memorize them word for word, his head tilted downward as his long hair trailed down his aging back, his hands folded upon his lap. 

It wasn’t much of a study at all, as there was little furniture administered in the confinements of the vast room except for several bookshelves held off against the far paleness of the sturdy walls held in place to keep conversations private and out of ear-shot. 

To the front side was an array of windows, elongated vertically as the three sat drilled into the wall, allowing some of the earth’s natural light to cast its blue hue over Hiashi’s papers and his blank stare. 

Neji took another step forward before stopping, bowing his head low and surrendering. 

“Forgive me, Lord Hiashi. If you would rather me come back at a different time-,”

“Take a seat Neji.”

His nephew arose at his uncle’s words, proceeding to pass by both Hiashi and the table, turning briskly to sit down on his knees with the support of a cushion beneath him. He too copied his uncle’s placement of his hands on his lap as he waited for Hiashi to be the first to speak. 

“What is it that you want to discuss with me?” his uncle said in the same manner and tone that made him impossible to read. 

“The future of the Hyuga.”

Hiashi finally took the chance to look up at his nephew’s face, seeing the same seriousness in his eyes that his father and brother always had when it came to discussions such as this. 

“Did you speak to her about it?” he responded evenly. 

“Indeed. Tenten and I are going to start trying to conceive a child.”

His uncle sighed, the relief pouring out of him as the stress disappeared from his conflicted lines upon his forehead. 

"I’m glad to hear that Neji. I wish both of you the best of luck.”

As much as Neji wanted to, he couldn’t allow his relief to show so suddenly, especially since he saw his uncle change his demeanor from satisfaction to confliction, his darkening eyes narrowing as his head tilted downward.

His stared towards nothingness. 

The air was becoming heavier as the silence stood menacingly around them. 

The dread had followed Neji in there.

Slowly, his uncle lifted his head again, observing Neji as he shifted uncomfortably. 

“Neji, there is something I need to tell you. It’s about Tenten.”

There was a pain welling up inside of Neji as he waited for the continuation, his heartbeat tapping against his bone at an increasing rate. 

“If you two are successful,” he enticed carefully. “The pregnancy will not be the same as any other Hyuga pregnancy.” 

“What do you mean?” Neji inquired, urgency grasping his tone. 

Hiashi took in a deep breath.

“Because Tenten does not share any Hyuga blood within her, the pregnancy will have to be managed with extreme care. Her system is not the same as Hyuga women. We have a chakra network that is different from any other clan and the needs of our unborn children are much different.” 

“It has been many years since we had an outsider birth one of our children, far before your father and I were born but there is documentation of it that I found shortly after our meeting with the rest of the clan.”

He straightened himself up, taking his hands from off his lap to open up his robe slightly, removing a thinly wrapped scroll from the inside before reaching forward to hand it over to Neji’s willing grasp. 

Once Neji had the scroll in his possession, his uncle continued wearily. 

“I will briefly describe what the contents of that scroll entail. Please inform Tenten of them when the time is right. If she still wants to go through with this, every Hyuga will be informed and she will be administered our finest midwives. You do not have to fear for her protection within these walls.”

Neji was not worried about protection.

It was one of the few things on his mind.

Because he knew that he could protect her himself.

His gaze had drifted, taking in the sight of the scroll held firmly in his grasp, the fabric of the paper still soft and preserved indefinitely with the contents hidden behind a seal marked with the characters of the Hyuga name engraved in the ink. Though the weight of scroll was light, the burden it instilled upon Neji was growing heavier as more thoughts began to circulate and consume him. 

He remained quiet, no longer sure of what to say or ask. 

His uncle studied him carefully, trying with extreme difficulty to not puncture Neji in a way that would end up causing him great frustration. It was he who had been one of the members to encourage his nephew to begin thinking and attempting to conceive with his wife. If only he had known the risks, the consequences not of his actions, but Neji and Tenten’s, then perhaps he would’ve warned them sooner. 

As long as there was no baby, there was still time for the exchange of words. 

“Neji, please understand that we have advanced in our medical practices. The risks are far lower for Tenten than what they were back then. You shouldn’t strain yourself to think in such a way.”

“Did this woman die?”

Hiashi had expected the question but even so, it made him straighten slightly.

He knew where this conversation was heading. 

With his throat cleared, Hiashi bowed his head, the paleness of his eyes being swallowed up by his narrowed lids. 

“Yes.”

The walls shivered as the wind picked up, brushing past the outside barrier like a fine paintbrush to wood.

The outside voices were all that could rid the world on the inside of its painful silence. 

The moaning and the choir of the breezes were what fed into the dread. 

Neji took his focus from the scroll away, now peering at his uncle with a hard expression, the same one that his father had a habit of making when Hiashi made a confrontation towards his brother that didn’t line up with clan regulations.

It was an expression that only meant anger. 

“Lord Hiashi,” Neji began cautiously, watching as his uncle lifted his nephew’s gaze. 

The image of his deceased brother flashed in his memory upon the sight of Neji’s face. 

“What are the chances of my wife dying?” 

It was not the words themselves, nor was it the fleeting sense of hope radiating from Neji that caught Hiashi in a state of vulnerability.   
It was how he said them that nearly made Hiashi unsure of how to respond, knowing well that whatever he said would not make a difference. 

The thought was there and it was now becoming a fear. 

His throat dried and he swallowed, moistening his voice box to leak out only what was needed to be heard. 

“I am not sure, Neji. It depends on how well she responds to pregnancy.”

“I see.”

Hiashi didn’t bother to continue his eye contact with his already worried nephew as he stood.

“Thank you for speaking with me Lord Hiashi. Excuse me.”

He bowed, the feelings hidden within his expression gone as he placed the masked veil over his face once more before taking his leave from in front of his uncle, walking towards the door.

It wasn’t until he reached for the handle, the very lock that was strangling him in this atmosphere, that Hiashi spoke for the final time. 

“There is always that chance, Neji.”

No response came.

The door slid opened and closed just as quickly. 

…………………………………………………………………………………..

His mind lay in a heap of fog, only to be interrupted by the sound of bone beneath muscle and flesh hitting the harshness of a finely carved wooden staff from the outside world where the atmosphere had taken the opposite side of his internal conflicts.

It had been a silent surprise shared by many in the compound of the weather that was granted to them upon that same day, for it was the warmest and most “spring-like” weather to finally come into the clearing, no longer hiding in the confinements of a past horizon of white crystals made of frozen water. 

Many had taken advantage of such a fine climate and temperature, with many of the servants and clan members leisurely strolling around the area, occasionally stopping to also observe the friendly spar that was being initiated in the very center of the courtyard.

Neji, knowing full well that Hanabi would be unforgiving if he had forgotten to inform his wife of his declaration and promise to train with her, had informed Tenten the moment he had managed his way back to the comfort of his dwelling. She still looked the same as before but appeared slightly more awake and much less red, the fumes and steam cooling down her complexion to its original texture upon his arrival home.

She had asked about the meeting, clearly intrigued in knowing what words he used and the reaction Hiashi had given him as a response to the overall exposure Neji had provided his uncle with. 

He hadn’t lied, at least, not entirely.

The meeting had gone well, which was the truth. There had been a mutual understanding between the two men and there had not been any unsettled propositions like most meetings bared the burden of. Other than that, he had said no more, setting up an excuse to not lie to her about what was said in the private conversation held between the nephew of the clan’s leader and his father’s older brother. 

Those words were to be shared when the time was right and when he felt better prepared.

Which, unfortunately, had a time constraint of that night.

As much as the very thought of having to tell her this new information after she had made her choice caused a bitter taste to form in his mouth, leaving him with no choice other than to swallow the fear that lay before the conscious decision of how he would use his words sparingly. 

He was glad that his wife was an easy and trusting person to talk to but despite all that, there would be something different lying beneath the waves of this dire conversation, something that might hold disappointment for the both of them.

There was still no full commitment, at least, unknown to Tenten but if her life was going to be on the line like Hiashi claimed it might be, then Neji would rather not go through with it, even though he wanted to have children just as much as she did.

The conclusions and prophecies colliding in his mind were throbbing within his skull, making the outside world nothing more than an empty range of space, the sounds drowning out as the voices in his head grew louder and the temperature becoming nothing more than a numbing sensation against his exposed skin. 

Time was fading and he couldn’t stop the intrusiveness of wondering if he was truly wasting it on meddling with his worries. 

He hadn’t noticed Tenten approaching him until she raised her voice slightly, decapitating through his sphere of isolation and once again setting him free to the confinements of the departing reality. 

“Neji, hey! Are you alright? You kinda spaced out for a while.”

Her voice sounded tired and out of breath and once his eyes had adjusted to the focus of her standing in front of the blinding sun, he saw that she matched her tone perfectly, her cheeks slightly red as sweat dotted her shining complexion. 

He couldn’t help but take a second to marvel at how beautiful she always looked, no matter what state she was in. 

Noticing that he was leaning forward, his elbows holding steady against his thighs as his hands remained locked and intertwined, he sat up straighter, meeting Tenten’s concerned look as he wiped away any possible inclination of his thoughts reflecting in his expression.

“I apologize,” he responded truthfully. “There were a lot of things I was thinking about. Are you and Hanabi already done?”

With her free hand, Tenten raised the back of her palm to stroke away the sweat that had gathered beneath the curtain of her bangs. Her hair was tied up as usual once again, the braided buns on either side of her head with a braided rope coming together towards the end of the hair that could be utilized. Her cream and pink-lined Chinese style of shirt stuck to her body like a second skin, her pants of maroon having a bit more volume to them for adequate flexibility and range, the same kind she wore when they had just turned sixteen as a team. 

She really hadn’t changed much at all. 

With her other grasp occupied in holding her wooded staff, she leaned against the pole as it was buried in the thinness of the dirt, sighing contently.

“Yeah. It seems like she gets stronger every day. Honestly, I was struggling to keep up with her. She might be just as good as you are Neji!”

“Oh, is that so?” he smirked, folding his arms until they laid comfortably against his chest. 

“Ooooooo, what’s this I hear? Big brother Neji’s wife compared him to the likes of his younger female cousin?”

Hanabi’s cooing came to them as she approached, her arms swinging carelessly from her sides as she stuck one foot out in the front, in the position of a forty-five degree low-kick, jumping forward to land on the spot her foot had hovered over to lean forward, her hands now behind her back as she bowed towards Neji on the porch, the teasing gleam in her eye becoming stronger the more he stared back at her. 

“Wow, I’m so shocked! Neji, your own wife, comparing our skills and even saying that I am better than you!” 

“I said ‘might be’-,” Tenten attempted to inquire before being interrupted by Neji standing up, retreating from the steps he had sat on earlier to get closer to his cousin. 

“Well, we will just have to see about that, won’t we?” he challenged with a grin. “That is unless my wife wore you out and you feel too tired to spar with me.”

She straightened, her expression no longer teasing as she met the challenge head-on, a sneer now taking its place on her lips as she took another step toward Neji, hands resting on her hips as the billowing cloth of her robe swayed with the introduction of another set of breezes. 

“’ Tired’? Who says I’m ‘tired’? I’ve been waiting to beat your ass all day, big brother Neji.” She replied starkly, a humorous eyebrow raised as she thought he was joking about his little “insult”. 

But, to Tenten, he wasn’t backing down and neither was his cousin. All she could now do was keep her distance and know it was pointless to initiate a more “friendly” spar. 

Instead, she took Neji’s originally place on the porch, letting her staff rest at an angle against the stairs as she placed her chin in the cradle of her hands, her elbows leaning themselves against the top of her knees. 

Neji didn’t allow his grin to falter even as he began to walk past Hanabi and towards the center of the courtyard. 

“Very well,” he said narrowly with his back turned toward his resting wife and fuming cousin. 

He turned back, one palm leveled at his side with the other outstretched, the pulsating veins crunching around his eyes as the center became more defined, the outlining of where a pupil would normally be appearing almost as if it was sketched. 

“Let’s see just how hard you have trained.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

He hated to admit it, but his younger cousin had certainly gotten stronger and yet she was still far from being able to beat him at a spar much to his satisfaction and egotistical pride. According to Tenten, they had carried on with their friendly battle for nearly thirty minutes, with Hanabi making excuses at the end of the match by claiming that she was not nearly as energized as he was since she had fought Tenten first (even though she gravitated towards the match being nothing more than an easy warmup). 

Some time had passed since the end of their training session and it wasn’t until Neji’s head was resting on his wife’s lap as they resided on their small porch, his back pressing against the firmness of the baseboards of the wood with his hands enclosed on one another as they gathered at the center of his diaphragm, that he realized this phenomenon had actually occurred. For that time that took place in the afternoon, he had forgotten all about the words spoken in the morning between himself and his uncle, who he hadn’t seen since their unarranged meeting and for which he was heavily grateful for and the thoughts he had let distract him had seemingly disappeared if not for a short time, giving him the gift of forgetfulness. 

However, he knew that letting her continue to go into this decision blindly would ruin her if she were to find out that he knew everything and didn’t tell her, forcing her to suffer all because of his uncertainty in giving her this new and disappointing information. 

This was his only chance. 

The more it was put off, the worse off it would be.

For them both. 

For him

For her.

He opened his eyes to peer up at her face that was buried deep in a book, the title nothing more than a drawing of a kunai and the words “INORGANIC” written underneath in fine script. Neji could’ve sworn that she had already finished that book years ago but it wasn’t unlike Tenten to reread something she had already finished, especially if it gave crucial information on the forming and sculpting of different forms of metals that could have the potential to be deadly if wielded properly. It was a hobby of hers, collecting things that many women didn’t understand why she was interested in getting, primarily because they didn’t see her infatuation as fit for a young woman of such “potential and femininity”. 

And yet, this was Tenten, and she could care less about what was thought of her. It was something that made her smile, a topic she could talk about for ages to anyone, giving them the information they never intended to ask for in the first place over the composition of the first shuriken design or the max number of kilometers the winds of the bashosen could travel with just one swing. 

No matter what she said, Neji was there to listen. 

Because the gleam in her eyes as she splurged over her love of weapons was a characteristic that he truly loved about her. 

It was truly what made her different. 

It was what made her Tenten. 

His Tenten. 

The more he glanced up at her, the more he saw her becoming infatuated with the words written out before her, almost as if she were memorizing them in the possibility that they would become useful to her soon. 

She often talked to him about eventually opening up the village’s finest weapon shop, a little store that would get recognition from all of the other villages that were scattered about. It was a dream of hers to one day reach that goal, to see it through to the very end no matter how hard it became in the short or long run. She didn’t know when she wanted it, nor how she was going to achieve that dream. She didn’t even know where the right location would be in the market place to set up, somewhere noticeable and overcrowded with people always scurrying about. 

But now, because they were going to try for a baby, there was no telling when this dream of hers would become the reality she had been imagining for quite some time, a longing fantasy that only she could accomplish and no one else. 

And Neji promised that he would support her every step of the way. 

The book in her tender fingers began to shift and Neji, not wanting his stare to be recognized, quickly shut his eyes, opening them just a few seconds later to see her looking down at him, the book positioned in her other hand as she tilted it off to the side to now focus all of her undivided attention on him.

“Is there something bothering you?” she asked with a hint of worry in her tone, her other hand traveling to the top of his head as she embedded her fingertips into the dark charcoal strands splayed across her lap, massaging his scalp gingerly with the light stroking of her nails. 

Knowing that he was now appearing vulnerable, he once again allowed his eyes to fall closed.

“What makes you say that?” he sighed humbly against her easing touch, letting himself fully melt into her lap.   
“Well, while we were sparring with Hanabi, you seemed very distant from the rest of the world. Almost like you were in your own little space. Even when I called out, you didn’t seem to hear me.” She said softly, almost as if she was pouting. 

She was right.

That wasn’t like him at all.

There were parts of him that did not want to tell her because he felt unprepared for her responses, while others heavily encouraged him to do so. He had to admit; the impending selfishness had dawned on him earlier when he had been very spaced out as he considered what to say. He knew that the subject was extremely delicate, so delicate that it could completely change their lives around with just a few words. Her life was on the line, not yet, but would possibly be soon if they were to succeed in their conception. 

Excuses were worthless when a life would be put in danger and there was no real occurrence that told him things would be alright if he were to wait much longer. 

He sat up, removing himself from the warmth she offered to now avoid her gaze. His back was turned towards her for a moment as he shifted himself around so that his legs swung over the edge of the porch and he was now facing her from the side, his head down as his eyes narrowed towards nothing in particular. 

“Tenten,” he said faintly. “Would you still want to do all this even if you knew your life would be hanging by a thread?”

In the corner of his eye, he saw her expression change from surprise to confusion, the depth in her doe irises swirling with the shine given off by the fading light that was disappearing just beyond the end of the earth, the sky turning into a deep sea of spectacular darkness. 

She stared at him in silence, as if she was trying to comprehend all the abruptness that his question erupted in her. 

“Neji?” she mumbled questionably as she took her legs off the side of the porch to swing them to her side, her palms pressing into the surface of the wood as she leaned towards him, giving him a better view of the innocence written upon her face. 

“What’s this all about?”

This time, Neji was to remain silent. 

He had spent too much time in pondering over this, rehearsing the words he was not sure how to say and pretending like he knew that the conversation would run smoothly, despite the doubts rubbing into his subconscious like sandpaper to old paint. She knew that he wanted a family as much as she did, but he also knew that he couldn’t live his life knowing that he was the reason why she would have to suffer through all the pain that pregnancy and birth would entail. 

He did not want to think about the possibility of her death at all as he spoke to her. 

She waited for an answer, still leaning towards him in anticipation. 

He sighed.

“When I spoke with Lord Hiashi today, he brought something to my attention that you truly deserve to know. It’s about the consequences that could occur if you manage to get pregnant.”

Tenten wavered for a bit, taking some distance between herself and him as she tried to come up with a response. When she was unable to, Neji took it as a sign to continue.

“He told me about a woman with no Hyuga-lineage being married into the clan and conceiving a child. However, because she was not a member of the family to begin with, she experienced several complications during her pregnancy.”

“Are you saying that it was like she was carrying some sort of alien?” Tenten asked, half-jokingly with a hint of concern in her tone. “Pregnancy is different for every woman, Neji, perhaps she-,”

“No.”

His interruption caused her to retaliate a bit more, her eyes now becoming half-lidded as she chose to stare at the hands that had once rested against his lap, now make his way up to his robe, manipulating his fingertips to open up the slit further until he could reach in, pulling out the narrow scroll given to him by Hiashi earlier that day. With his robe now left unbothered, he handed the rolled parchment over to her, careful to make sure it landed in her outstretched palm before taking his hand back and settling it against his lap.

For a moment, she did nothing but stare into the blankness the scroll showed her, being that she had no inclination of what the contents detailed unless she opened the inside. Unsure of whether or not to open it, she took Neji’s silence as encouragement for her to unravel and see the information, letting the edges and creases slide against her fingertips as she pulled the scroll from its confinement in such a tedious shape. 

Characters inked across, drawn carefully along with diagrams of what appeared to be the female body with lines and textures sketched to symbolize something of great importance. The more she looked into it, the more she saw that this was, in a way, a medical file written by perhaps the midwives who took care of this woman during her time of gestation up until labor. The diagram depicted more than just organs and nerves. With a blue-tipped brush, the midwives had painted the entire energy and chakra system within the hastily drawn woman’s anatomy, layering the pathway like thread bound into rope, skewing through each limb and curling up into the core where another chakra system was centered in a much darker hue of the original coloration. 

She knew that two systems were established once pregnancy had been achieved, at least until the child was born into a fully-functional being but there was something about the change in color that made her feel a menacing force hidden behind the darkness in the texture.

Neji looked over at the opened scroll, surveying its contents as intricately as he could before casting a gaze up at Tenten. 

“I didn’t think it would be fair for me to examine the scroll first,” he informed as he watched her eyes dart across the page. “I had no idea it would be this detailed.”

With her eyebrows now slanting upwards, wrinkling the space between, a new emotion wiped across her face, a feeling that was not exactly fear but was also not anxiety. It was an expression that exposed something much deeper from within, a dreaded demeanor that clouded one’s mind into thinking things they had never thought before about something they thought they already knew. 

It was clear to Neji that Tenten was beginning to understand. 

“Based upon what I have read so far,” she muttered quietly, “It seems as if her child pretty much sucked her entire chakra out of her each day and weakened her immune system greatly. Do Hyuga children usually require that much chakra?”

“Yes,” he answered gravely. “Lord Hiashi told me that due to our byakugon, every child that is conceived requires a great amount of their mother’s chakra builds to properly develop. Because Hyuga-born mothers are already equipped with a strong source of chakra due to their proper development of their byakugon, they are able to carry a child to full term and give birth without much concern.”

“So, what you’re saying, is that… I won’t be able to have a baby?”

He finally found the courage to look at her and when he did, regret was what shattered his heart. 

The water was already starting to form in her eyes as her lips tightened, preventing her from releasing her vulnerability to him. Her fingertips that once held the scroll apart in such a gentle manner, now tightened and creased the edges with the additional pressure she applied, her hands shaking slightly as her head bent down, the sadness in her eyes staring at nothing but the diagram drawn before her.

He had feared this would happen. 

It had been a hasty move, but one he decided upon without hesitation. 

Quickly, he grabbed the scroll and tore it from her grasp, nearly ripping it in the process, before tossing it to the side where the outstretching parchment landed with a thud against the surface of the porch, fluttering off the edge like a limp ribbon. 

Her hands, still open from her previous touch, were now grasped into his, his fingers entangling themselves in hers as he held them with the firmness that was a familiar and comforting sensation, one that she had only experienced twice during their days of being nothing more than teammates, then lovers, then a couple, a spreading time that always went by faster than what they wanted it to. 

She looked up to meet his eyes, the light and seriousness reflecting in them as he leaned closer to her, shifting his weight so that she had no way of avoiding his impending gaze. 

“Tenten, listen to me,” he requested urgently. “Forget about the scroll and what I just told you. Pretend as none of that happened. Is this what you want? To start a family with me?”

Her eyes widened before returning back to a normal appearance, the tears passing the threshold she had attempted to keep in check but had failed to do so, several falling and streaking her cheeks as they rolled to her jaw before plummeting onto the space between them, darkening the original coloration of the wood before fading into the surface like drops of rain. 

She blinked, trying to stop the emotions from overfilling as she nodded, sniffing several times in the process. 

Then she saw his face change as a smile made just for her, shown on his features, the expression in his lavender irises softening while he leaned in, pressing his forehead against her own, his hands still locked within hers as they rested near their chests. 

“Promise me something,” he whispered, shutting his eyes soundlessly. 

“Anything.” She mumbled as she felt her own eyes close in serenity. 

“Let me take care of you.”

“Yes.”

They pulled away from each other with Tenten removing one of her hands from his hold to wipe underneath her eyes with the side of her palm, her radiant grin appearing on her lips that once held so much defeat in such a short amount of time. 

“Neji, I don’t want you to worry about losing me,” she continued. “Besides, now that I think about it, all this took place many years ago. Medicine has improved and I am sure there are ways to make this easier for both of us.”

“That is what Lord Hiashi said as well.”

She laughed lightly.

“I never thought I would be on the same page as your uncle, but I am glad.”

“What about?”

The distance closed between them once more as she neared closer, pressing her lips against his own before pulling back. 

“That I have a husband like you.”

Instantly, she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped from her as his cheeks reddened and he looked away from her teasing gaze, releasing his hands from hers as he turned away from her in utter embarrassment caused by her flattering. 

“Oh, and Neji,” she began again, watching to make sure his attention was on her again, the lightness of his blush still radiating his cheeks as he soundly looked at her curiously. 

He let his guard down as she nearly leaped into his torso, sending him slightly off balance as he steadied the both of them, allowing his arms to bring her closer into him with his chin resting atop her head. 

“What is it, Tenten?”

 

“You are going to make a wonderful father.”


	5. Chapter 5

It was compelling to walk into the smallest shop on the very end of the street and even considered brave to enter through the nonexistent doors knowing that she was late. The date had been scheduled a month in advance, even marked in the invisible chart within the fragmentations of her mangled thoughts and unanswered questions and yet she somehow managed to forget, struggling to put her sandals on whilst standing as her husband gave her a questioning look from several feet behind her unbalanced stance that leaned against the wall. 

There was no need to dress fancy nor was there a reason to. It was just a simple meeting, a female-only organization that had existed since they had all decided that being friends was better than being enemies with one another, especially since all four had to deal with two boys (and sometimes three if the teacher was male) on the daily for weeks, after months, after years on end with little to no chance for having personalized isolation time. 

And yet, those same boys-now men- still lacked the understanding of the need of feminine privacy, especially if it meant leaving their wives alone for a required period no matter when (or where) that time happened to be. 

She had barely had time to make her hair look perfect, twirling and tightening, braiding and wrapping her locks of hastily brushed hair as she trotted out the house, calling back a good-bye before disappearing beyond the bridge and into the confinements of the compound, nearly bumping into several passersby as she made her way to the front gate in record time. 

And it wasn't until she found herself on the outside of the compound that she realized her scrolls were not securely fastened to her back as they toppled and rolled out from their holster, forcing her to stop and gather the wrapped arrays of parchment in her arms as she took off once more, not looking forward to the scolded by one of the best-looking women in the entire village and one with extensive knowledge over everything female-related (including intimacy). 

This was a meeting Tenten could not afford to miss. 

Some questions needed answers fast.

As she saw the little antique shop only a quarter of the distance of the way, she slowed, narrowing her breath and demanding that her heart rate cease from its pounding in fear of getting the suspicion of her forgetfulness from the friends that would be there nonetheless and waiting on her to join in their conversation with whatever information she had to spare. 

The cut fabrics of cloth, draped over the front of the shop where the entrance was located, witnessed the movement of the early spring air, the gentle sway of the thin textured color with delicate characters that together spelled out "tea room" in blotchy black ink. The outside was plain, not entirely sporting a uniqueness most tea places strived to have, as its primary purpose was to blend in with the shops located around itself. The plastering of the muskrat walls on the outside gave an unknowing sense of comfort to those who found themselves stumbling across a cheaply-priced and well-worth its style of a café, the entirety of the building just a cube against the side of the rectangular business located right beside it. The roof was flat with layered tiles of shingles that shared a much darker coloration than the drywall, giving the cube the appearance of a regular family home with occupants who were more than happy to offer their hostility to visitors that happen to wander by aimlessly. 

In part, the idea of the business being of family orientation was true, as the owners were an older couple who decided to turn this once abandoned and shattered building into a place of comfort and conversation for villagers and outsiders alike. Their kids, now all grown and living their own lives, supported their parents and sometimes even their children would be helping out in their grandparent's shop. 

And today, Tenten saw that indeed it was true, as a familiar face of a shy young girl slipped by her as she had moved the cloth to the side to expose herself to the inside of such a quaint little place of peacefulness, seeing the paralyzing stares of glistening infant-blue and opaque lavender peering into her creamed-coffee eyes from across the room. 

Without hesitation, Tenten skimmed by the scattered wooden tables spread amongst the area, steering clear of several occupants of the stools around them as they sipped from their cups and spoke as they poured from the kettle, laughing and occasionally meeting Tenten's glance before darting their stares away to resume their business if they were not drinking. The shop had never been usually busy, but that did not mean that the couple couldn't get by efficiently with the profit they receive from their loyal customers. 

Towards the opposite side of the opening was the counter, fluorescent with a generous assortment of polished wood as a multitude of cups and kettles rested on the shelves behind the ordering station, the other countertops organized with unopened bags of herbs and flavors and more stacked cups waiting to either be washed or utilized by patrons. The walls were the same as they were outside with the flooring being made of the same material of the counters and shelves, a deep oak that had recently been polished to keep its good name and reputation sound amongst the consumers and those who enjoyed sitting in content places that offered protection from the problems they had left for the outside world to handle for a short time. Several windows allowed the light to shine in through the glass in case the opening was not able to suffice such a requirement, small but adequate in stature as they were stationed in a row with several spaces of the distance between them, making up each opposing lengths of the walls. 

After successfully being able to not disturb anyone, Tenten made it to the table, seeing a very disappointed glance from the young woman who sported the iciest glare of all. 

"Where were you? Hinata and I both got here thirty minutes ago."

Though her eyes showed a slight annoyance, Ino was unable to keep the glare for long after realizing that Tenten was safe and didn't appear to run into any trouble on the way over to the shop. 

If there was one thing Tenten envied about Ino, it was her goddess-like beauty that made men drop their bags or jaws at the sight of her as she strolled down the street. Despite her being married, the part of her that enjoyed being drooled over remained but her loyalty to her husband was forever strong and she often knew how to let pursuers down gently without causing them too much grief and embarrassment. 

Everything about Ino was beautiful, from her rather long and glimmering silver-blonde hair to her elegant expression as she held her head up high for the world to see. But despite Ino being rather pretty, Tenten couldn't admit that she was the only one with the personality and looks that had several suitors lining up. 

Hinata's stare had been much softer than Ino's, giving Tenten comfort as she shared the same eyes as Neji, being from the same family and all. 

Though she had managed to avert her introverted-self after marrying one of the most extroverted people ever to ever grace and annoy this planet, there was still a big portion of her that remained shy and timid at social interactions, making her rather cute and adorable with her flustered and confused expressions. The darkness of her plumb strands that rested among her shoulders brought out the paleness of her complexion and the tenderness held within her lavender eyes, making her another striking beauty in the village. 

They also unknowingly made Tenten feel like a wet blanket as she often compared her appearance to theirs. 

Tenten gave an anxious grin before pulling out the empty chair across from Ino and beside Hinata to take a seat. 

"I'm sorry! I was just-," she began before being halted from speaking further by Ino's raise of a hand. 

"You forgot, didn't you?" came a blunt reply from the glossed lips of the blonde-beauty. 

A sheepish laugh bubbled from behind Tenten's hesitant grin, making Ino place her hand back against the table and sigh.

"In any case, we are glad you could make it," Hinata said amongst the natural whisper in her voice

Relaxing into the chair, Tenten reached forward to grab one of the three cups sat in the middle, surrounding the nestled blue kettle that still steamed from the simmering of the water from the stove made to make the tea. Hinata also extended her hands to take the kettle by the handle, using the long fingers on the free hand to hold the lid in place as she poured the delicious and sweet liquid into Tenten's empty cup. 

"Thank you, Hinata." She said as she pulled the cup towards her, hearing the tap of the kettle being set back in place before Hinata retracted her grasp and gave a warm smile in Tenten's direction as a response. 

But instead of drinking, Tenten stared down at her reflection peering back at her in the brown liquid, her smile fading as her unanswered questions began to resurface in the sea of her millions of intrusive thoughts. 

Both Hinata and Ino saw the change and looked at one another before directing their attention back towards their friend.

"Okay, you are making it almost too obvious that something is bothering you," Ino stated, leaning a little towards Tenten as she cradled her jaw in the crook of her palm, her elbow resting against the surface of the table as the other hand lay flat. "Let's hear it."

The silence was too dreadful, especially in a place that was a source for conversations and Tenten knew better than to let such an evil carry on. 

There was a nervous pit welling in her stomach and she knew that it was to blame for her tardiness. The daunting demeanor of having to ask her friends such personal questions made her want to stay home and pretend to fall ill last minute even though she knew that their advice could potentially get her from where she stood now to a greater distance. She saw this get-together as the best opportunity for her and knew that it was not just a coincidence that events seemed to play out in correspondence with this planned event. Still, asking such questions in a public setting was a task that she was unsure she could manage successfully. Her voice would have to be as soft as Hinata's. 

Tenten was careful in how she planned her words, sliding her cup off to the side as she leaned forward, trying to get between both of her friends in hopes that her words would not travel too far. 

Maybe she was making a mistake in just saying it outright and without any further warning, but it was better to be done now than to stall. If there was one thing that could anger Ino more than tardiness caused by forgetfulness, it was stalling her from getting the details. 

The breath she took in was all the strength she needed. 

"I told him." She whispered in both ear shots of her friends, who at once widened their eyes. 

It was not like wanting to have a baby was a secret only Tenten knew the contents of. Indeed, she had come seeking the advice from her friends earlier on, around the time Neji began getting assigned missions more and more frequently in the month prior. Though none of them had any experience with having children, they still wanted to have their own someday, and in doing so, they had plenty of knowledge to spare on the subject despite their inexperience. 

However, Tenten had not blindly rushed over to meagerly discuss the details of how the conversation went. There was another much more personal topic she knew all her friends had engaged in. 

And she hadn't. 

At least, not yet. 

Hinata was the first to smile, her cheekbones rising as her eyes twinkled dimly in the light. 

"That's wonderful, Tenten! What did he say?"

Tenten sank back until her spine rested comfortably against the back of the engraved chair and she too couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips before she answered. 

"He was thrilled in a very Neji-like way! I don't think I had ever seen him that emotional since our wedding ceremony." She cooed as the memory of such a blissful and almost unreal day replayed in her head like a film on a projector screen, flickering and shaking as the tape and rows of documented pictures bounced within the silence of her mind. 

Ino smirked.

"We told you. Even Hinata said it was a dream of his to have a family someday and now it's finally happening! But, why did you seem so discouraged just a few seconds ago?"

Tenten blinked before the smile faded and she once again narrowed her eyes and bowed her head towards the reflection flickering in her cup of warm and swimming liquid. 

"Well, Neji spoke with his uncle about our decision and there is a concern for my health involved in the pregnancy process."

Her eyebrows slanted upwards as her forehead wrinkled slightly, the film of their wedding, the happiest day of her life thus far, burned into the overcast of light, and the image of the heavily drawn and written upon scroll became as noticeable as a blank canvas in a sea of colors. 

She could feel the worry in Hinata and Ino's expressions as they waited for her to continue and she knew that she couldn't keep them watching from the boardwalk for long as the ship had finally cast its sails and was disappearing without them. 

"There was a woman who married into the clan, an outside, like me. Lord Hiashi gave us this scroll which documented all of the side-effects and troubles this woman experienced while carrying a Hyuga child to full-term. Her chakra was sucked out of her body, leaving her with nothing else to do other than stay in bed and rest if she managed to get comfortable enough. Unfortunately, she died after giving birth to her child."

Ino clenched her jaw as her lips tightened before looking at Hinata through a glimpse of her bang.

"Hinata, did you know anything about this?" she asked softly.

"No. Father never mentioned to me about an outside marrying into the clan. I suppose it is because it never considered me since I am a full-blood Hyuga. Maybe he also thought that no more outsiders would be married to any of the clan members, so he assumed the information wasn't a priority. Until now, that is." 

Despite her voice being as soothing as a running whisper, Tenten heard her words as if Hinata had been yelling, letting the information absorb into the cells of her body and awaken a sort of irritation directed towards Lord Hiashi for not telling his daughter about this and Tenten for that matter. He had only spoken to Neji. 

Seeing their concern growing, she decided that the situation had to be saved.

"It's alright! Besides, Lord Hiashi even said that he doubts I will suffer from the same issues since medicine has come a long way since that woman was alive. In any case, Neji and I both agreed that we wanted to start a family and even if I feel terrible or get the life sucked out of me, I think it will be worth it." 

Her blabbering made the words travel so quickly from her lips that she had to keep steady to avoid biting the tip of her tongue but they seemed to do enough convincing to ease Ino and Hinata's discomfort as the creases in their brows unknotted and they both sighed their input of shallow relief.

"That's true. Still, we are your friends so don't be surprised that we were worried about you. But I doubt that we could be half was worried as Neji would be." Ino chortled half-heartedly. 

Hinata laughed lightly.

"Yes. It will be very interesting to see Big Brother Neji riled up over you. I hope you are prepared, Tenten."

Before Tenten could realize, her eyes were rolling as the smile that once faded now returned, her uncertainty taken for granted with the relief her friends gave her after she reassured them. 

"Yeah right. I doubt even someone like Neji could be anything but calm." She said as her fingertips felt for the handle of her cup, grabbing the bowl of liquid and raising it to her lips, her eyes closing comfortably. 

"Oh, come on," Ino began, removing her palm pressing into her chin to wave as if she were ridding Tenten of her oblivious nature. "Men like that will always be like that when their wife is pregnant. He's probably already feeling overprotective of you since you guys have started trying."

Tenten nearly choked on her tea, sputtering out some muffled coughs as she laid her cup back against the surface of the table, covering her mouth as she attempted to avoid spraying hot liquid all over Ino.

"Tenten!" Hinata gasped as she reached over, her hand lightly pressing against Tenten's hunched over back as she coughed, patting against the area between her shoulder blades. 

"Just breathe," she hushed as Tenten's coughing started to cease, her breaths coming in slow and leaving in the same manner, the hand that covered her mouth coming down to the center of her chest, holding itself there as the staggers in her breathing finally stopped. 

Ino's eyes lit up with mischief.

"Wait a minute, don't tell me!" she said as she pointed an accusing finger towards Tenten's direction. 

"You haven't done it yet, have you?"

Tenten was silent, before the inflammation traveled across her cheeks and to the tips of her uncovered ears, her eyes becoming wider as her embarrassment exposed the truth without her having to mutter a syllable. Hinata pulled away, her face also turning a faint pink as she realized that the subject was becoming something of more personal affairs. 

"S-shut up!" Tenten yelped, shaking her head as her palms pressed firmly against her burning ears, muffling out the sounds of Ino's triumphant laughter. 

"I can't believe it!" Ino giggled, raising the same finger that had pointed at Tenten to the corner of her revealed eye, wiping away a tear. "Even I have to admit that I am shocked! You are Neji have been married for almost an entire year and yet you haven't seen his-,"

"I-Ino!" Hinata cried, covering her eyes with her palms. "He may be Tenten's husband, but he is also my cousin! Don't speak about him in such a crude manner. It's too embarrassing!"

Ino could only snicker as a response.

Though Tenten's face remained a vibrant crimson, she removed her hands from her ears and placed underneath her arms, pulling them firmly against her chest as she slouched in the chair. 

"W-well," she began, unsure of how the words would sound. "That's what I wanted to ask you two next. We haven't… attempted it because we are both not sure about how to do it. Maybe Neji is and he is just being sympathetic towards my embarrassment of having him look at my unclothed body. It's not like I have a great body-,"

"Stop that," Ino corrected, raising her palm. "As weird as this is gonna sound, Hinata and I have both seen you in the bath. You have a body to die for. You have survived the training from one of the most ridiculous and hardcore teachers and yet you are still insecure. Trust me, when Neji sees you, he will drop trough right then and there."

"I-Ino, please!" Hinata sputtered through the gasps made between her fingers. 

Tenten's flushing complexion only darkened as she shook her head. 

Ino shrugged.

"Believe me or don't. Either way, a man even with Neji's demeanor won't be able to resist the vulnerability of the woman he is attracted to. In any case, he is gonna have to see you naked if you want a baby. That's how sex works and that is how reproduction works too, sweetie."

"Besides, I bet Hinata here knows a thing or two about making love. Her and Naruto are at it nearly every night!"

Hinata let out a sound that sounded akin to a flabbergasted gasp, taking her hands from her fuming face and grabbing Ino's arm.

"N-no we don't! I-I m-mean, we do it sometimes, not every night!" she cried out in her soft voice, her words disconnecting from one another as she fought back the continuing embarrassment welling up from within her.  
"I'm just teasing you Hinata! Besides, our sex-lives aren't the ones at stake here."

"Wait," Tenten interrupted. "I never said our intimacy was at stake. I mean, we kiss and we do regular couple stuff, just not the… other things."

"Hm," Ino murmured, placing her palm back underneath her chin. "Maybe the feeling is mutual between you two. You just have to make the move."

"'Make the move'?" Tenten wondered, her complexion faltering to its normal texture. 

"Yeah. You just have to figure out what turns him on and go from there. I can't say that every man is turned on by the same things, but most men are. If you can get Neji flustered and responding to your movements, things will go smoothly from there. Hopefully."

"I'm sure they will," Hinata said, taking her leave of Ino's arm to settle back into her seat. "You are the only person who truly understands Big Brother Neji. There are parts of him that I have come to know, but only you know of the deepest things within him."

"Just let things come naturally."

Naturally?

If things had come naturally, wouldn't they have done it already? 

If Hinata was right about Tenten knowing the parts of Neji no one else knew, would things go as smoothly as Ino said they would? Is the key that easy to obtain to unlock even more parts of not just him, but her?

Tenten could only nod, taking the advice in as if she was being spoon-fed. That was just how things were. She didn't know why she hadn't made the move first. Perhaps it was to avoid upsetting Neji's pride. But the more this was laid off like a mindless task, the less time there would be to have a baby. 

She raised her cup to her lips.

Naturally, huh?  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 

He wasn't sure as to why he agreed to come by, especially in knowing that he would spare no shame in being slightly early. It had been a mere coincidence that the dates had aligned much like the stars and cosmos between he and Tenten, both going their separate ways for a time to spend with their comrades and friends of the same sex for just an afternoon.

And Neji only hoped that this afternoon wouldn't dwindle on with pointless conversations that always seemed to play out. 

Not that he minded the company and care-free nature of the friends that surrounded him. It was something he discreetly enjoyed because it kept his mind away from the confinements of the Neji he always knew, allowing himself to hear the true and colorful personalities that took place in the small gathering. 

After witnessing his wife barely manage to do her hair and missing the fleeting opportunity to tell her that her scrolls were not secured to her holster, he had decided to go out and meet at the training grounds with the others (not of course, without a sigh).

Without delay, he had thrown on his shinobi uniform, in case Lee decided he would probe Neji into challenging him like he always did in the midst of the friendly gathering, and flew out the door with ease, avoiding pointless conversations with passing clan members as he exited through the main gate and followed the trail that led down to the familiar training grounds. 

The road had become patchy, instigating small fragments of unchecked dirt crunching beneath his sandals as he neared by, the grass turning into a pleasant green after the release of such a blissful frost. It was becoming more and more like Spring as the days pressed on and despite Neji being one who loved the winter and the snow, he also enjoyed the bit of warmth and new life the current season brought to the village. 

He continued along, watching the atmosphere above him as several sparrows flew into the tides of the wind, flapping their feathers as they followed one another with an ease Neji could only envy.

If only things could be that easy for him.

And for Tenten.

It hadn't taken more than several minutes before he saw the entrance to the open field, a place he had known since he graduated from the Academy with the girl he had no idea would be his future wife and with a boy he saw only as a failure who couldn't live up to his dreams. The more he came to such a place, the more he realized how wrong he had been during all those years of being tormented by the memory of his father's demise. It still wasn't fair to him, for a life to be lost all because of his placement in the ranks of the clan. But that was just how it was and yet, Neji wanted that to change so that it would never be "just as it was".

He came much closer, finally seeing the three abused logs insight as he relished in the shimmering of the trees misguided by the breeze, the leaves still trying to blossom from the bare branches that had been withered to bone from the winter. He heard the familiar voices that shared the same laughter and saw that faces that reminded him of when times were better even when they were meant to be harsher with cruel intentions. 

Neji allowed himself to be carried by his habit, following the disappearing patches of the trail as he furthered himself into the realm of possibilities and into the place where he had grown not just as a person, but as a whole entity as well, delving deep within the boundaries until he showed himself in the presence of the five men (plus a dog) leaning or sitting atop the logs, their attention shifting to the new arrival.

It was the one who he once called a failure that raised his hand high and waved, the bright shine radiating from the depths of blue in his eyes as the whiskers on the sides of his cheeks became visible, his gold spikey hair now shorter than it once was. 

And his smile was still the same. 

"Yo, Neji!" Naruto called as the person of interest came closer, finally stopping to meet his friends with a soft smile.

"We didn't think you would show up." Came a humored response from the man called Kiba who sat alongside the large white hound, his hair slicked back with the usual red paint marked on his face, a custom of his designated clan. 

"Of course, my rival would show!" Lee declared as he raised a fist into the air. "Neji is a man of his word and of good intentions who would never leave his friends-,"

"Alright, Lee," Neji said, quieting his comrade's endless ranting of how great of an internal rival Neji was. 

"Well, I figured that since I had nothing better to do today, I would stop by and make sure none of you hurt yourselves. Particularly you three."

Neji's glance was directed at the men who had spoken first, seeing the look of amusement on the most intelligent of the group other than himself, Shikamaru, who leaned against the log with his arms folded over his vested chest, the spike of his ponytail tied up in its usual setting.

Naruto, perched atop one of the logs in the center, stretched his smile wider.

"Oh, come on, as if we would do that! Besides, most of us are married, ya know?"

Kiba cleared his throat as he leaned against his prized companion. Akamaru stifled a yawn and stuck out his tongue almost as if to respond to the lightheartedness of Naruto's carefree and simpleton tone. 

That, or he was laughing in the way dogs could only do so to their owners since he knew that Kiba was not married.

"Yeah well, some of us are bachelors waiting for the right one," Kiba retorted with his nose raised in the air. "I am the one living the good life of a single man. Meanwhile, you are all tied down by women."

Shikamaru stifled a yawn.

"It may be a drag but it's a drag we all have to put up with." He muttered after his yawn had been silenced by the deadlock of the situation.

Lee once again raised his fist.

"That's right! Love is the true component of youth! Once you find it, you will be young forever!" 

"Also, Neji has discovered the true beauty of embracing his love! He has finally become a man who has claimed his woman!"

A man who claimed his woman?

Neji was rather confused and disoriented at the words. 

Did he mean by marriage or by-?

Naruto and Kiba's cooing are what brought him back.

"So, you've finally done it," Naruto teased, leaning to the side with his arm stuck out at an angle to prod Neji's right bicep. "Congrats Neji! For a genius, it sure took you long enough."

"Yeah," Kiba muttered. "I thought it would've been done on the first night."

The first night?

Finally done it?

Neji raised an eyebrow out of habit, examining the childish expressions on two of his friends' faces as they continued to chortle their teasing comments about a subject he wasn't sure he entirely understood. 

"Of course, Neji and Tenten have had sex," Shikamaru chimed in, none too jokingly like the other two. He had reached from behind, digging his fingers into the satchel that rested firmly against his back as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes, shaking the box to the side until one stick slid out. He pulled the rest of the cigarette until it was free from its container, shoving the box back into its place within his satchel before trading off with a lighter, placing the timid cigar between his lips before he chucked the lighter's switch.

The sparks were quick and extinguished with ease, leaving no smoke behind in their wake. After about three attempts to continue the flame's solidity, Shikamaru took the patch of fire toward the end of the cigarette, relinquishing the flame with a tap on the switch before taking the lighter out of sight and back into his bag.

"They have been married for almost a year now." 

Neji nearly bit his tongue as his left eye twitched uncomfortably, the flames that had failed to maintain their power seeming to rise from within his cheeks. He turned away, stiffly, hoping that his fringes covered most of his embarrassed expression, his eyes squeezed shut as he attempted to consciously meditate. 

It didn't work.

"Neji, what's wrong? There is nothing to be embarrassed about!" Lee gushed a little too excitedly. 

"Yeah! We are all guys here, who cares! So, what was it like?" Naruto asked casually, almost as if he was just meagerly speaking about the pleasant weather that was occurring on that particular day. 

Neji bit down on his lip, hoping to taste the spitefulness of blood on his tongue. 

The next time he and Lee were alone, he would have to bring Tenten along to stop him from murdering their teammate. 

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions," he hissed without opening his eyes. "Besides, our intimacy is not anyone's business but our own. I will not humiliate or degrade Tenten over this matter."

Shikamaru sucked in the nicotine before placing the cigarette between his two fingers, releasing it from his lips as a cloud of ash came from his mouth. 

"So, what you're saying is that you haven't done anything like that, right?" he pondered without the need for reassurance. 

The bitterness that made Neji close his eyes now fled, as his gaze once again peered at each of his friend's faces. Naruto gave a rather dumbfounded expression that matched Kiba's, Shikamaru gave an unphased facial cue as he focused on his breath releasing the smoke from his lungs, Lee just looked at Neji innocently, and Akamaru expressed the same unidentifiable look that most dogs gave off when nothing important was happening. 

There was nothing more than Neji wanted to do than walk away from this conversation, to never speak of what happened and to never answer Shikamaru's shameful question. 

It wasn't about having sex that made Neji's skin crawl. It was the thought of how to begin the act. With his and Tenten's decision to finally try for a baby, it was something he knew he would have to face eventually. Even so, the wittiness he was complimented on during missions and the devotion many had towards him as being a prodigy of the most feared clan still in existence, the one thing he couldn't wrap his head around was such a new field of intimacy, one that could potentially change their lives if the process was successful.

But he would be lying if he said that he never thought or fantasized about making love with Tenten.

As much as he hated it, he knew that he needed some advice. It would also be far too humiliating to know that he could be the last one among these men to lose his virginity, especially if it meant Lee was to lose his first. 

His sigh was enough to answer the question and immediately Naruto was the first to respond.

"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed, peering questionably at Neji, examining him to see if there was a joke he was missing. "You are still a virgin? Wow, of all people, I would've never expected-,"

"Alright, I get it," Neji exasperated through a clenched jaw. "In any case, it is none of your concern." 

"But Neji," Lee said, his notorious thick eyebrows raising. "I thought that just a few days ago when you left our match early, you said something about Tenten wanting to speak to you."

"Indeed. She and I had a conversation." Neji responded flatly. "But that was it. I have no idea where you jumped to reach that conclusion."

Naruto puckered his lips unflatteringly. 

"Are you suuuuuuuure there was nothing else going on other than talking?" he gushed with a higher pitch of voice, a sure sign of mockery. "Come on Neji, I bet there was a little bit of-,"

Naruto finished his sentence with kissing noises, leaning closer to Neji who jerked away, his patience being throttled. 

"Guys leave Neji alone," Shikamaru interrupted. "There is no need to harass him over his dilemmas."

He tapped his cigarette, sprinkling the used bits of ashes to the new patches of green beginning to resurface.

Naruto stopped, crossing his arms as he squinted his eyes shut. 

"We aren't harassing him," he pouted. "We are just wanting to know what happened. That's all."

Kiba leaned back against the balls of his hands, Akamaru curled up at his side with his large muzzle resting on his owner's thigh. 

"Man, Neji, you are something." He muttered into the thinness of the air.

Lee took his gaze away from his teammate, looking towards the ground instead. 

"Forgive me my rival, it was my mistake to jump to such conclusions." He said softly, his eyes growing abnormally sparkly, giving the whole group the impression that he was about to make the training ground a new lake filled with his tears of salt (and ambition).

The last thing Neji wanted was to see Lee cry. Not because it hurt him but because it was repulsively loud and very unsettling. 

He switched his feet, carefully easing down onto the grass until he was comfortably seated against a wide patch of fragmented dirt, his legs crossed beneath one another before he let out a sigh, giving him a sound of his courage. 

If they didn't know now, then they would soon enough.

"Well," Neji began, closing his eyes to allow the feelings of being in the presence of people he trusted to guide his words. "If you want to know, Tenten and I were discussing our future."

When the silence had perturbed him enough, he finally opened his eyes, only to see very confused and, somewhat, disappointed expressions, with Lee looking at him with eyes that were larger than normal (or were they?).

"That's it?" Naruto jeered. "Boooorrrriiinngggg."

"And what does this future entail?" Shikamaru asked nonchalantly. 

Neji sucked in another breath.

"Tenten and I are going to try for a child." He announced softly, with a smile unknowingly befalling against his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, blah blah-," Naruto started but then stopped, widening his eyes as he clutched the log to lean further down in front of Neji's bewildered face. "What, wait? Are you serious?"

"I am not one for jokes, Naruto. You should know that by now."

With their mouths gaping, Lee was the first to jump up from his place against the ground, grabbing Neji and hoisting him up, squeezing him uncomfortably tight in his grasp as tears flooded down his face. 

"Oh, my rival! What a beautiful decision the two of you have made!" he sobbed against Neji's cheek. "I have always imagined what your beautiful babies would look like-,"

"Wait, Lee, are you serious- "Kiba attempted to question.

"-And words cannot express the joy that is YOUTH and hard work!" He continued, still clutching Neji to him. "Neji, I have never been so HAPPY!"

More tears wetted against Neji's cheeks and before long, he found himself fuming with annoyance.

"Lee, you might want to let him go," Naruto advised as he saw the redness of irritation rise in Neji's pale complexion. "I think Neji is about to trigram you to another life."

The hugging stopped as Lee released Neji, who was now standing perfectly still before smoothing his vest and dusting himself of any "cooties" Lee might be carrying. 

Neji only let Tenten and Hinata hug him in such a way but at least they didn't cry and slobber on his face.

"Forgive me once again, Neji!" Lee exclaimed, raising his arm to wipe away the fallen streaks of tears with the sleeve of his unflattering green spandex. "I have been waiting for this day to come, ever since you two started dating."

"That's weird Lee," Shikamaru said before blowing out another puff of smoke. "But in any case, congratulations. I wish you and Tenten the best of luck."

"Yeah, me too! Maybe I should get Hinata pregnant so our kids can be playmates-!" Naruto said with a bit too much volume to his voice.

"Do not speak like Lady Hinata is an object you scum." Neji retorted, glaring at the fool sitting atop the log. 

"But I wasn't!" 

"Hm. I question that."

"Neji, I love Hinata! I didn't mean it like that!"

"Anyways," Kiba said, waving off the topic as if it was one of Shikamaru's cigarette smoke clouds. "Since you two haven't started the process yet. Allow me to give you some advice: you are alpha, so you latch onto her from behind and go for it. Sometimes you might get stuck-,"

"Kiba, that's how dogs mate." Shikamaru interrupted hastily.

"Oh, is that so?" Kiba pondered, primarily to himself as he looked off to the side, Akamaru whimpering a response of confirmation. 

Neji shifted his gaze, cleansing his mind of the stupidity that just escaped Kiba's mouth with the realization that Tenten would be arriving home any moment, the sun drearily peering at him from the top of the sky.

This was his chance to escape.

"I should go. Tenten will be home soon and wonder where I am." He said, turning away from the group as he proceeded to retrace his steps back to the compound when he suddenly heard the sound of feet hitting the ground and felt a palm land promptly on his shoulder.

When he turned to look back, he saw Naruto smiling at him, not the usual kind but the one that only offered comfort and honesty, the smile that he gave when he told his promises and when he finished what he started. 

"Neji, I know that you and Tenten are going to be great parents," he said with a familiar brightness in his eyes. "Just know that your friends are here for the two of you, no matter what. If you ever need us for anything, you know where to find us."

Neji's mouth remained agape for some time before closing, the reflection of the smile given to him now appearing in his calm expression. 

"Thank you, Naruto." He responded with the same form of kindness and sincerity in his heart. 

It was true, that their friends were there for a reason. And more importantly, they would be there even when they were not present. It was just another component of life that Neji had seen himself missing out on, a realm in which he had no choice but to rely and trust people who weren't born into the family he was, who didn't understand why destiny couldn't be changed, and why there are some things that are predetermined by fate in this world. For the first time in his life, Neji had been wrong about a lot of things. No teachers and no relatives could've shown him the way like his friends have, especially the blond-haired idiot that married his cousin, the pair that Neji nearly gave his life for in the hopes of strengthening the bond that was always there but had yet to be fully awakened.

By the time he reached the compound, passed the entry of the barren gate, and walked across the bridge that led to his place of solitude, he saw his wife sitting against the edge of the porch, looking up into the nothingness of nature, unaware by his presence until he was only a few feet behind her. 

"Ah! Neji, you scared me!" Tenten exclaimed as she leaned to the side with the palm of her hand pressing against the firmness of the wood. "Where did you go-?"

He said nothing, leaving no answer in the breath of the wind as he crouched beside her, sitting down close enough to where his arms found themselves surrounding her frame, pulling her into his chest as he buried himself within her warmth. 

She said his name one last time before giving in, easing into his embrace like she always did without muttering another word.

There was no need for an answer.

This was the life he had always wanted.

This was the life he finally had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I want to apologize for the awkward spacing. This platform screwed up my format from the original file and I do not have to time (nor the patience) to space out each new paragraph individually. I always want to say a few things. First off, please do not assume that I hate Sakura just because I didn't include her in the scene with Tenten, Ino, and Hinata. I decided that for the timing of the story, that Sakura would already be traveling with Sasuke and would therefore be unable to be present. Also, please understand that I have a life outside of this one that demands my attention more than 80% of the time. University has started for me and updates may be less frequent now. Don't worry, I will update at any chance I get. Just give me time. That being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> -Momo


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